Thermal modelling of a solar pond

A computer model of the operation of a solar pond is presented. The model is simple and easy to use, but avoids some of the simplifying assumptions used in earlier solar pond models. The new model predicts the temperature of the lower convective zone in a pond for a known solar radiation, ambient temperature variation, and zone thicknesses. The code for the model is written in Visual Basic 6, and Access database tables are used for storing both data and calculation results. The predictions of the model for a demonstration solar pond constructed by RMIT University with two industrial partners at Pyramid Hill in northern Victoria, Australia, are compared with actual measured lower convective zone temperatures. The model¿s predictions conform closely to the recorded measured values.