Performance of a portable mini solar-pond

For the present experiments, such a pond was located at JUST, i.e. at 32 de grees N latitude. Its walls were inclined at 45 degrees to the horizontal. The pond was built of galvanized steel (1.44 mm thick) with a circular surf ace area and total depth of I m(2) and 500 mm, respectively. The effects of the solar-pond's depth and its water's salinity on the store's temperature distributions were determined experimentally and compared with theoretical predictions. A dimensional analysis was carried out to show the effect of the mini solar-pond's size on its thermal behaviour. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scie nce Ltd. Ail rights reserved.