Heat Exchanger Theory Applied to the Design of Water- and Air-Heating Flat-Plate Solar Collectors

1988 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory J. Kowalski ◽  
Arthur R. Foster
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Flat Plate ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Heat Transfer Characteristics ◽  
Air Heating ◽  
Collector Efficiency ◽  
The Difference

A general method for the design of flat-plate solar collectors based on solar collector theory has been developed. It can be applied to both liquid- and air-heating solar collectors. The solar collector efficiency is determined by the product of the effectiveness (ε) and the insolation use factor (IUF). The effectiveness describes the heat transfer characteristics of the collector and is shown to be a function of a solar number of transfer units (SNTU) and a parameter ψ. For an air-heating collector, the ψ parameter equals the collector efficiency factor, while for a liquid-heating collector it must account for the difference between the plate and tube heat transfer areas. The effectiveness and SNTU parameters are similar to the effectiveness and NTU parameters used in heat exchanger design methods. The IUF is a measure of the operating conditions of the collector. It represents the difference between the transmittance-absorptance product and the ratio of the minimum heat loss to the insolation on the exterior cover. The relationship between the effectiveness and the SNTU parameter is general for all nonconcentrating collectors. One advantage of this method over the traditional Hottel-Whillier method is that it separates the heat transfer characteristics of the solar collector from its optical properties and the operating conditions.

scholarly journals Heat transfer in a low latitude flat-plate solar collector

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 583-591
Author(s):  
C.O.C. Oko ◽  
S.N. Nnamchi
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Flat Plate ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Fluid Temperature ◽  
Port Harcourt ◽  
Collector Efficiency ◽  
One Year ◽  
Flat Plate Solar Collector

Study of rate of heat transfer in a flat-plate solar collector is the main subject of this paper. Measurements of collector and working fluid temperatures were carried out for one year covering the harmattan and rainy seasons in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, which is situated at the latitude of 4.858oN and longitude of 8.372oE. Energy balance equations for heat exchanger were employed to develop a mathematical model which relates the working fluid temperature with the vital collector geometric and physical design parameters. The exit fluid temperature was used to compute the rate of heat transfer to the working fluid and the efficiency of the transfer. The optimum fluid temperatures obtained for the harmattan, rainy and yearly (or combined) seasons were: 317.4, 314.9 and 316.2 [K], respectively. The corresponding insolation utilized were: 83.23, 76.61 and 79.92 [W/m2], respectively, with the corresponding mean collector efficiency of 0.190, 0.205 and 0.197 [-], respectively. The working fluid flowrate, the collector length and the range of time that gave rise to maximum results were: 0.0093 [kg/s], 2.0 [m] and 12PM - 13.00PM, respectively. There was good agreement between the computed and the measured working fluid temperatures. The results obtained are useful for the optimal design of the solar collector and its operations.

Comparison of Heat Transfer in Solar Collectors With Heat-Pipe Versus Flow-Through Absorbers

1987 ◽  
Vol 109 (4) ◽  
pp. 253-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Hull
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Pipe ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Heat Transfer Characteristics ◽  
Absorption Chiller ◽  
Transfer Characteristics ◽  
Proper Design ◽  
Flow Through

Analysis of heat transfer in solar collectors with heat-pipe absorbers is compared to that for collectors with flow-through absorbers for systems that produce hot water or other heated fluids. In these applications the heat-pipe absorber suffers a heat transfer penalty compared with the flow-through absorber, but in many cases the penalty can be minimized by proper design at the heat-pipe condenser and system manifold. When the solar collector is used to drive an absorption chiller, the heat-pipe absorber has better heat transfer characteristics than the flow-through absorber.

scholarly journals Effect of Glass Thickness on Performance of Flat Plate Solar Collectors for Fruits Drying

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramadhani Bakari ◽  
Rwaichi J. A. Minja ◽  
Karoli N. Njau
Keyword(s):  
Flat Plate ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Heat Losses ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Glass Thickness ◽  
North Direction ◽  
Clear Glass ◽  
Collector Efficiency ◽  
Different Thickness

This study aimed at investigating the effect of thickness of glazing material on the performance of flat plate solar collectors. Performance of solar collector is affected by glaze transmittance, absorptance, and reflectance which results into major heat losses in the system. Four solar collector models with different glass thicknesses were designed, constructed, and experimentally tested for their performances. Collectors were both oriented to northsouth direction and tilted to an angle of 10° with the ground toward north direction. The area of each collector model was 0.72 m2with a depth of 0.15 m. Low iron (extra clear) glass of thicknesses 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, and 6 mm was used as glazing materials. As a control, all collector performances were analysed and compared using a glass of 5 mm thickness and then with glass of different thickness. The results showed that change in glass thickness results into variation in collector efficiency. Collector with 4 mm glass thick gave the best efficiency of 35.4% compared to 27.8% for 6 mm glass thick. However, the use of glass of 4 mm thick needs precautions in handling and during placement to the collector to avoid extra costs due to breakage.

Investigation of the Effect of Cross Section on the Convective Heat Transfer Performance of Nanoemulsion in Microchannel Heat Exchanger

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takele Gameda ◽  
M. Mehdi Kabir ◽  
Jiajun Xu
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Heat Transfer Performance ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Transfer Performance ◽  
Heat Transfer Characteristics ◽  
Microchannel Heat Exchanger ◽  
Transfer Characteristics

Abstract The present study aims to numerically investigate the effect of cross section on the heat transfer performance of single-phase flow of Ethanol/Polyalphaolefin nanoemulsion fluid with ethanol concentrations of 8 wt.% in a microchannel heat exchanger. While the exterior geometry of the microchannels’ solid structure remains the same, four different cross sections of channels including: circular, upward semi-circular, rectangular, and trapezoidal, are designed with keeping the channels’ wetted perimeters, mass flow rate, and Reynolds number constant for comparison purposes. In the present study, the hydrodynamic and heat transfer characteristics, including local Nusselt number, heat transfer coefficient, and velocity profile, were investigated under a uniform wall heat flux boundary conditions within the laminar flow regime. The channel models of different cross sections were developed by the COMSOL-Multiphysics for numerical analysis. The heat transfer characteristics were then compared for different cross sections under the same operating conditions, and the effect of aspect ratio for rectangular and trapezoidal cross sections were also studied.

Parametric Study of a Flat Plate Wick Assisted Heat Pipe Solar Collector

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brahim Taoufik ◽  
Mhiri Foued ◽  
Jemni Abdelmajid
Keyword(s):  
Flat Plate ◽  
Heat Pipe ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Absorber Plate ◽  
Steady State Condition ◽  
Collector Efficiency ◽  
Evacuated Tube Collectors ◽  
Gap Spacing ◽  
Evacuated Tube

The use of heat pipes in solar collectors offers several advantages regarding flexibility in operation and application, as they are very efficient in transporting heat even under a small temperature difference. Compared with other systems powered by evacuated tube collectors or flat plate solar collectors using a wickless heat pipe, little attention has been paid to a flat plate solar collectors wick assisted heat pipe. In this paper an analytical model based on energy balance equations assuming a steady state condition was developed to evaluate the thermal efficiency of a flat plate wick assisted heat pipe solar collector. Parameters which affect the collector efficiency are identified, such as tube spacing distance, gap spacing between the absorber plate and the glazing cover, and the emissivity of the absorber plate. The results reflect the contribution and significance of each of these parameters to the collector overall heat loss coefficients. Three heat pipe working fluids are examined and results show that acetone performs better than methanol and ethanol.

Gas radiative effects on gas-filled flat plate solar collectors

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (10) ◽  
pp. 1115-1124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khosro Lari ◽  
Ali Tarokh ◽  
Mohammad Naghizadeh
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Flat Plate ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Discrete Ordinates ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Flat Plate Solar Collector

A standard thermal solar collector can be used for both hot water production and air heating purposes. Gas-filled solar collectors represent a new emerging design approach with enhanced characteristics. In this research, numerical modeling is utilized to study radiative effects of the participating gases on the performance of solar collectors. The coupled radiative–convective heat transfer in the solar collector is considered and the collector cavity is considered as a radiatively participating medium. The finite volume method has been adopted to solve the governing equations and discrete ordinates method is used for radiative transfer. After validating the model used in this study, it is used to obtain the heat transfer characteristics of a flat-plate solar collector with real solar conditions of the city of Kerman, Iran, in summer at a wide range of air absorption coefficients. According to the results, by increasing the absorption coefficient of the air, the temperature of the absorber plate is reduced and the air temperature is increased, but the increase of air temperature is much higher than the reduction of absorber temperature. Hence, it is concluded that it is possible to use participating gases in the solar air heaters to enhance the performance of the collector.

Heat Transfer From Combustion Gases to a Single Row of Closely Spaced Tubes in a Swirl Crossflow Stirling Engine Heater

1982 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. P. Bankston ◽  
L. H. Back
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Stirling Engine ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Experimental Program ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Heat Transfer Characteristics ◽  
Transfer Coefficients ◽  
Single Row ◽  
Transfer Characteristics

This paper describes an experimental program to determine the heat-transfer characteristics of a combustor and heat-exchanger system in a hybrid solar receiver which utilizes a Stirling engine. The system consists of a swirl combustor with a crossflow heat exchanger composed of a single row of 48 closely spaced curved tubes. In the present study, heat-transfer characteristics of the combustor/heat-exchanger system without a Stirling engine have been studied over a range of operating conditions and output levels using water as the working fluid. Non-dimensional heat-transfer coefficients based on total heat transfer have been obtained and are compared with available literature data. The results show significantly enhanced heat transfer for the present geometry and test conditions. Also, heat transfer along the length of the tubes is found to vary, the effect depending upon test condition.

scholarly journals Performance Evaluation of Flat Plate and Vacuum Tube Solar Collectors by Applying a MWCNT/Fe3O4 Binary Nanofluid

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1715
Author(s):  
Minjung Lee ◽  
Yunchan Shin ◽  
Honghyun Cho
Keyword(s):  
Flat Plate ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Vacuum Tube ◽  
Flat Plate Solar Collector ◽  
Wide Operating

This study experimentally investigated the performance characteristics of water and MWCNT/Fe3O4 binary nanofluid as a working fluid in a flat plate and vacuum tube solar collectors. As a result, the highest efficiency was 80.3% when 0.005 vol.% MWCNT/0.01 vol.% Fe3O4 binary nanofluid was applied to the flat plate solar collector, which was a 17.6% increase in efficiency, compared to that when water was used. In the case of the vacuum tube solar collector, the highest efficiency was 79.8%, which was 24.9% higher than when water was applied. Besides, when the mass flux of MWCNT/Fe3O4 binary nanofluid was changed from 420 to 598 kg/s·m2, the maximum efficiencies of the flat plate and vacuum tube solar collectors were increased by 7.8% and 8.3%, respectively. When the MWCNT/Fe3O4 binary nanofluid was applied to the vacuum tube solar collector, the efficiency improvement was much more significant, and the high performance could be maintained for wide operating conditions, compared with the flat plate solar collector.

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