Heat Transfer Analysis of a Finned Solar Air Heater

1988 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Issacci ◽  
Y. Zvirin ◽  
G. Grossman

A theoretical method is presented for the investigation of a reflective fin solar air heater. The heat transfer processes include radiation in both the solar and IR spectra, mixed convection (forced and natural) in the air and conduction in the fins. The governing equations have been solved numerically to obtain the velocity and temperature fields in the developing and developed flow regions. The efficiency of the finned structure is then calculated, and the results of a parametric study are shown. It has been found that natural convection effects are significant and strong buoyancy leads to separation and reversed flow. The efficiency increases with lower surface emissivity and lower thermal conductivity of the fins.

Author(s):  
Sumer Singh Patel ◽  
Atul Lanjewar

Abstract The present experimental study is concerned with heat transfer analysis of air flowing in solar air heater duct with a gap in V-rib with symmetrical gap and staggered ribs geometry. The investigated parameters are Reynolds number (Re) of 4000–14,000, relative roughness pitch (p/e) of 12, relative roughness height (e/Dh) of 0.043, angle of attack (α) of 60 deg, relative staggered rib pitch (p′/p) of 0.65, relative gap size (g/e) of 4, relative staggered rib size (r/e) of 4, relative gap position of additional gap in each symmetrical rib elements (d/w) of 0.65, relative gap size of additional gap in each symmetrical rib elements (g′/e) of 1, number of main gaps (Ng) of 1, 2, 3, 4, and number of additional gap (ng) varying from 1 to 5. Fourteen roughened absorber plates were tested. The maximum enhancement in Nusselt number (Nu) and friction factor (f) was 2.34 and 2.79 times that of smooth surface corresponding to the number of main gaps (Ng) of 4 with the number of additional gaps (ng) of 4. The performance of the gap in V-rib with symmetrical gap and staggered rib geometry has been compared with the existing latest V-rib geometry and smooth surface. The proposed gap in V-rib with symmetrical gap and staggered ribs geometry has a better performance than the existing latest V-rib geometry. The following correlations have been developed for heat transfer and friction factor in terms of roughness and operating parameters. Heat transfer:Nur=0.0073(Re)0.9788(Ng)0.2790(ng)0.0184exp[−0.1678(ln(Ng))2]exp[−0.0129(ln(ng))2] Friction factor:fr=0.0477(Re)−0.0678(Ng)0.5919(ng)−0.0562exp[−0.4922(ln(Ng))2]exp[−0.0487(ln(ng))2]


2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajneesh Kumar ◽  
Anoop Kumar ◽  
Varun Goel

The ribbed three-dimensional solar air heater (SAH) model is numerically investigated to estimate flow and heat transfer through it. The numerical analysis is based on finite volume approach, and the set of flow governing equations has been solved to determine the heat transfer and flow field through the SAH. For detailed analysis, rib chamfer height ratio (e′/e) and rib aspect ratio (e/w), two innovative parameters, have been created and considered along with the commonly used roughness parameter, i.e., relative roughness height, e/D. The parameters e′/e, e/w, and e/D are varied from 0.0 to 1, 0.1 to 1.5, and 0.18 to 0.043, respectively, but the value of P/e is kept constant for the entire investigation at 12. A good match is seen in Nusselt number (Nu) and friction factor (f) by comparing the predicted results with the experimental ones. With the variation of roughness parameters, distinguishable change in Nu and f is obtained. The highest value of thermohydraulic performance parameter (TPP) observed is 2.08 for P/e, e′/e, e/w, and e/D values of 12, 0.75, 1.5, and 0.043, respectively, at Re of 17,100. The developed generalized equation for Nu and f has shown acceptable percentage deviation under the studied range of parameters.


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