Solar Water Heating Systems: A Review on Contemporary Design and Emergent Technology using PCM for Increased Performance

Abstract

This study highlighted the specificity of solar water heating systems, investigating their financial benefits and discussing their economic advantages. Several studies have shown that solar water heaters' effective performance and the best cost savings were obtained during the hot seasons. New developments in solar water heaters have been discussed in detail. According to numerous researches, the highest quality performance of solar water heaters and the best cost savings were achieved when the system was integrated with innovative components such as Phase Change Materials (PCMs), heat pipes, and turbulators. Emergent technologies using PCMs have shown excellent results, increasing solar thermal efficiency. This technology presents great potential not only for domestic applications but also on an industrial scale.