A TRANSIENT MODEL OF A LABORATORY-SCALE CARNALITE SALT GRADIENT SOLARPOND

The thermal performance of a laboratory-scale salt gradient solar pond has been modeled as a one-dimensional unsteady conduction heat transf er problem with hea generation. The pond is assumed to be cut into hor izontal slices and finite difference heat balance equations are solved simultaneously to predict the temperature of each slice at any time. The initial conditions were the temperature profile data. The boundary conditions were determined by studying the heat balance at th ebottom of the pond and by assuming the pond surface temperature to be equal to the ambient temperature. Solar radiation attenuation is calculated by the Bryant and Colbeck formula. A computer program is constructed t o perform the calculations. In addition, Kooi's model was compared wit h our model. Similarly the salinity behavior was studied by writing th e one-dimensional differential mass balance equation over a small slic e with the appropriate boundary and initial conditions. The resultant set of linear equations was solved simultaneously for the unknown new concentrations. A computer program has been constructed to perform the calculations. Fair agreement between experimental and predicted profi les was obtained.