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Influence of channel depth on the performance of solar air heaters

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  • Sun, Wei
  • Ji, Jie
  • He, Wei

Abstract

In the design of solar air heaters (SAHs), channel depth is a principal variable to be fixed. In this paper, the effect of the channel depth on the energy gain of type I and type III SAHs has been investigated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Laminar model and k–ω turbulence model of Wilcox are used for the prediction of flow and temperature field in SAHs. Our study shows that the heat transfer corresponding to the temperature distribution across the channel in SAH varies greatly with the change of channel depth. Based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics, the optimal channel depths for type I and type III SAHs with black-painted absorber are suggested as 10 mm. It is found that with selective coating, the absorber plate should be further from the cover glazing in order to prevent excessive convective heat loss, the distance is better of no less than 20 mm. In type III SAH, air flows in two channels above and below the absorber plate, the depth ratio of up channel to down channel should be no less than 1.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Wei & Ji, Jie & He, Wei, 2010. "Influence of channel depth on the performance of solar air heaters," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 4201-4207.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:35:y:2010:i:10:p:4201-4207
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2010.07.006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Yeh, Ho-Ming & Ho, Chii-Dong & Hou, Jun-Ze, 1999. "The improvement of collector efficiency in solar air heaters by simultaneously air flow over and under the absorbing plate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 24(10), pages 857-871.
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    6. Oztop, Hakan F. & Bayrak, Fatih & Hepbasli, Arif, 2013. "Energetic and exergetic aspects of solar air heating (solar collector) systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 59-83.
    7. Bahrehmand, D. & Ameri, M. & Gholampour, M., 2015. "Energy and exergy analysis of different solar air collector systems with forced convection," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 1119-1130.
    8. Rajaseenivasan, T. & Srinivasan, S. & Srithar, K., 2015. "Comprehensive study on solar air heater with circular and V-type turbulators attached on absorber plate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 863-873.
    9. Bahrehmand, D. & Ameri, M., 2015. "Energy and exergy analysis of different solar air collector systems with natural convection," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 357-368.

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