Modeling, Simulation and Control of Flat Panel Solar Collectors with Thermal Storage for Heating and Cooling Applications

The focus of the present study is on the transient modeling of components in a solar system, controls, and heating and cooling loads. The system consists of solar flat plates and a thermal storage tank, which could provide a portion of heating requirements of a social enterprise building located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. This solar system and a natural gas hot water heater may replace the low efficiency boiler that supplies low quality steam for heat throughout the building using radiators. Results of the simulation performed in Simulink supports the proper selection of solar system components and controls that will be optimized for the climatic attributes of Winnipeg.