Solar Energy Questions and Answers – Solar Water Heater

This set of Solar Energy Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Solar Water Heater”.

1. What is solar water heater?
a) Use solar energy to heat water
b) Use solar energy to generate current which is then used to heat water
c) Use water to generate heat
d) Use solar energy to generate steam
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Solar water heater is a system that converts sunlight into heat. This heat is then used to heat water. As the water gets heated, steam may be produced but the purpose of solar water is to heat water and not produce steam. It does not generate current.

2. Which of the following determines complexity and size of solar water heating system?
a) Food
b) Changes in ambient temperature
c) Chemicals
d) Solar radiation constant
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: Changes in ambient temperature during day-night cycle is one of the factors that determines the complexity and size of solar water heating system. Food, chemicals and solar radiation constant does not influence the complexity and size of the system.

3. What is freeze protection in a solar water heating system?
a) Ensures that the system is frozen
b) Prevents the operation of drainback system
c) Prevents damage to system due to freezing of transfer fluid
d) Ensures that the transfer fluid is frozen
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: Freeze protection in a solar water system prevents the system being damaged due to freezing of transfer fluid. It does not prevent the operation of drainback system.
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4. What are drainback systems in solar water heating system?
a) The system that reverses the direction of flow of transfer fluid
b) The system that tracks the sun
c) The system that pumps excess transfer fluid
d) The system that drains the transfer fluid
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: Drainback systems are systems that drain the transfer fluid particularly to ensure freeze protection. This prevents the freezing of transfer fluid and any unwanted damage to the system.

5. How does freeze-tolerance work?
a) By expansion of pipes carrying transfer fluid
b) By compression of pipes carrying transfer fluid
c) By increasing the temperature of pipes carrying transfer fluid
d) By increasing the pressure inside pipes carrying transfer fluid
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Freeze-tolerance works by expansion of pipes carrying the transfer fluid. The low pressure pipes are made of silicone rubber that expands on freezing.
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6. Which of the following metals are used to make pipes of low cost solar water heating system?
a) Gold
b) Copper
c) Polymer
d) Silver
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: Copper is used to make pipes of low cost solar water heating systems. Though silver and gold are good thermal conductors they are expensive. Polymer is not a metal.

7. Direct solar water heating systems ______
a) offer great overheating protection
b) are called pumped systems
c) offer no overheating protection
d) offer great freeze protection
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: Direct solar water heating systems are also called compact systems. They offer little or no overheating protection unless they have a heat export pump.
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8. How is the heat transferred from transfer fluid to potable water in indirect solar water heating systems?
a) By directly exposing the substance to sunlight
b) By using an electrical heater
c) By circulating potable water through the collector
d) By using heat exchanger
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: An indirect solar water heating system uses a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the transfer fluid to the potable water. It does not expose the transfer fluid directly to the sunlight and does not use an electrical heater.

9. How is water heated in a direct solar water heating system?
a) By circulating potable water through the collector
b) By directly exposing water to sunlight
c) By using convection from a different transfer fluid
d) By using heat exchanger
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: In a direct solar water heating system, the potable water is the transfer fluid. Hence, it is heated by circulating through the collector. Indirect solar water heating systems use a heat exchanger.
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10. Passive systems rely on heat-driven convection.
a) False
b) True
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: Passive systems rely on heat-driven convection. If not, they also use heat pipes to circulate the working fluid through the collector and heat it. Hence, they are cheap and are easily maintained.

11. Which of the following is an example of direct solar water heating system?
a) Pressurised antifreeze system
b) Pumped systems to circulate transfer fluid
c) Convection heat storage system
d) Drainback system
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: Convection heat storage system is similar to an integrated collector storage system. Both these systems are examples of direct solar water heating systems.

12. How is the heat transfer fluid (HTF) heated in bubble pump systems?
a) By subjecting the closed HTF circuit to high pressure
b) By subjecting the closed HTF circuit to high pressure and by increasing the volume
c) By subjecting the closed HTF circuit to low pressure and by decreasing the volume
d) By subjecting the closed HTF circuit to low pressure
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: In a bubble pump system, the heat transfer fluid circuit is subjected to a low pressure. This causes the liquid to boil at low temperatures as the sun heats it. The volume is not changed.

13. Batch collectors reduce heat loss by thermally insulating the storage tank.
a) True
b) False
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Batch collectors reduce heat loss by thermally insulating the storage tank. This is done by covering the tank in a glass-topped box that allows heat from sun to reach the water tank and traps it – greenhouse effect.

14. Overheat protection is done by passing hot water through collector during night.
a) False
b) True
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: Overheat protection is done by passing hot water through collector during night or when there is less sunlight. This is extremely effective in direct or thermal store plumbing and ineffective in evacuated-tube collectors.

Sanfoundry Global Education & Learning Series – Solar Energy.

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Manish Bhojasia - Founder & CTO at Sanfoundry
Manish Bhojasia, a technology veteran with 20+ years @ Cisco & Wipro, is Founder and CTO at Sanfoundry. He lives in Bangalore, and focuses on development of Linux Kernel, SAN Technologies, Advanced C, Data Structures & Alogrithms. Stay connected with him at LinkedIn.

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