The effect of psychrometry on the performance of a solar collector

Abstract

The investigation of a solar collector is based on the thermal behaviour of a carrier fluid and the degradation of energy across a flat plate collector. The exergy analysis of a thermal system includes the change in the exergy function of a carrier fluid while transferring solar radiation across an air gap. The cell cast acrylic glass was used to transmit the incident solar radiation to the absorber plate, and to safeguard the absorber plate from the outside environment. With the help of the steady flow energy equation, the enthalpy of the carrier fluid (moist air) was calculated. The specific humidity of the incoming air was calculated at an average dry bulb temperature of 299.4 K. The stagnation temperature at a limiting condition was also estimated to find out the maximum permissible limit for a given thermal design. The mass flow rate of air was assumed to be 5.2 g-s−1. The efficiency of the solar collector was found to vary from 40 to 42%, whereas the thermal energy available for drying was 15–59% of the exergy of the carrier fluid. The net entropy generation rate due to the collector plate was calculated to be 0.12 W-K−1.

Developing a thermodynamic model for the circulating air using an opaque system

“…Upon component‐based study of the flat plate collector, it was noticed that the collector plate solely had 31% of total exergy delivered via solar radiation, whereas 68.63% was carried away by air. The work was based on the psychrometric behaviour of air that may influence the thermal potential of the solar system 6 . The behaviour was further examined in another modelling work that was based on the finite element analysis.…”

“…The work was based on the psychrometric behaviour of air that may influence the thermal potential of the solar system. 6 The behaviour was further examined in another modelling work that was based on the finite element analysis. The solar collector efficiency of the flat plate collector was noticed to vary from 38.57% to 77.45%.…”

“…15 In addition, a similar study on the flat plate collector has already been covered way before in Dhaundiyal and Gabrielmichael's work. 6 Zheng et al examined the solar heating cooling system integrated with a parabolic trough collector (PTC). It was claimed that 18.8% of the carbon dioxide emission can be curtailed using the SHC system with the primary energy consumption of 21.3%.…”

“…22 Singh et al provided valuable insight into the recent development in the artificial roughened surface of the absorber plate, the flow pattern of the medium, and the scope of multi-passes in the solar air collector. 23 After reviewing, [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] it was seen that the mathematical models are the energy equations that are solved using the computation software. A new approach was not seen except in the study by Gopi et al 17 In this article, a unique approach was adopted that is based on nonlinear system identification without using rudimentary algebra or statistical models.…”

The Stack Effect on the Thermal-Fluid Behaviour of a Solar Collector

“…Dhaundiyal and Atsu (2020) attempted to cover a small section in a similar study where they discussed the interaction of air with the glazing cover and the absorber plate [23]. Likewise, in another study, the exergy of the components and the properties of moist air were comprehensively studied to determine the behaviour of a flat solar collector [24].…”