Simulation of an enhanced integrated collector–storage solar water heater

• The modified ICSSWH system are simulated and validated, in this paper.
• The proposed system is a baffle plate type storage unit.
• The storage unit is divided with two trapezoids volumes (top volume as VA and bottom volume as VB).
• For VA/VB⩾4VA/VB⩾4, then the present ICSSWH system efficiency is maximized.
• Present system has the highest efficiency than the rectangular and the triangular ICSSWH systems.

Because of the simple in structure and operation, an integrated collector–storage solar water heater (ICSSWH) is cheaper than the other solar devices. An efficient ICSSWH system is numerically simulated and validated, in this paper. The proposed system is a baffle plate type storage unit. The storage unit of this system is divided by two trapezoids cross section volumes. The top trapezoid cross section (with the volume of VA) is bigger than the bottom (with the volume of VB  ) so that the most heat is stored above collector. To evaluate the performance of this modified ICSSWH system, the high degree stratified multinode approach is conducted inside the storage unit. It was seen that in the case as VA/VB⩾4,VA/VB⩾4, then the present ICSSWH system efficiency is maximized. Comparison results show that the present modified ICSSWH system has higher efficiency than others previous rectangular and triangular types of the storage unit.