Abstract

DIEGO-AYALA, Ulises  and  CARRILLO-BAEZA, José Gonzalo. Study of the Thermal Behaviour of Water for Residential Use in Tanks of Concrete and Polyethylene in Humid Subtropical Climate. Ing. invest. y tecnol. [online]. 2015, vol.16, n.4, pp.573-583. ISSN 2594-0732.

This article presents a comparative study of the thermal behavior of residential water tanks of polyethylene and concrete exposed to the sun over a year in the state of Yucatan. The energy for radiation and their corresponding temperatures in each system were measured. Daily patterns of elevation and reduction of temperature were identified and the amount of energy acquired during the day as well as the heat dissipated overnight were determined, aiming to determine the possibility of using residential water tanks as a source of hot water in residential homes in the Yucatan region. Based on this study it has been found that the periods of the day with hot water temperature for showering with comfort is limited and that, interestingly, both systems show similar temperatures at the bottom of the tanks throughout the year.

Keywords : solar energy; residential tank; thermal behavior; annual study; water tank; polyethylene; concrete.