Experimental Study Corrosion Parameters of Copper as an Eco-Friendly Heat Collector for Solar Water Heaters
J. C. Morka
Department of Physics, University of Delta, Agbor, Nigeria.
O. C. Molua *
Department of Physics, University of Delta, Agbor, Nigeria.
A. Egheneji
Department of Physics, University of Delta, Agbor, Nigeria.
M. Edobor
Department of Physics, University of Delta, Agbor, Nigeria.
F. C. Ighrakpata
Department of Physics, College of Education, Warri, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The corrosion behaviour of copper as a solar collector material was adequately simulated in tests in a solar water heating system. The weight loss technique of corrosion determination was used under exposure conditions ranging from slightly acidic to alkaline. Uniform corrosion was observed and corrosion rates; calculated estimates of the life of a typical collector made of copper were evaluated and found to be below 0.0254 mmpy and the subsequent evaluation of the life of a 3mm thick pipe shows lives of over a hundred years under the varying exposure conditions. A significant fact is that uniform corrosion took place over the period of the test.
Keywords: Corrosion, copper, heat-collector, water-heaters, eco-friendly, environment