The experimental study of energy features for solar air heaters with different turbulator configurations

Abstract

To assess the thermal performance in the climate conditions of western and central Iraq, the advantages of using a solar air collector with various turbulator absorber plates are experimentally explored. Four distinct kinds of absorber plates are provided flat plate (F), triangular (T), rectangular (R), and circular (C) turbulators at different air mass flow rates. The collector's economic properties and overall thermal performance are compared to the conventional flat plate turbulator heating systems. The main findings suggest that delta turbulators improve collector economics and overall thermal performance by generating vortex and dampening the formation of the thermal boundary layer in the direction of airflow. Furthermore, when the mass flow rate increases, the thermal performance improves, and the efficiency increases for all mass flow rates, resulting in good thermal performance for the rectangular plate collector when compared to other collectors. When compared to other types of configurations, the daily average efficiency of solar air collectors for flat plate (F), triangular (T), rectangular (R), and circular (C) turbulators are 28%, 67%, 39%, and 48%, respectively, at 50° tilt angle while at 90° tilt angle they are 44%, 76%, 54%, and 63%, respectively, as ṁ = 0.0377 kg/s. The maximum daily average efficiency fitted with rectangular turbulators have about 86% at the largest ṁ = 0.1 kg/s. This study will also give a unique direction to the work trend in the western and central parts of Iraq throughout the winter months.

Productivity amelioration of stepped solar still using phase change material and evacuated tube collector

“…The effectiveness of the distillation process was evaluated using Equation (6). 40,46,47 $$${\eta }_{\mathrm{ex}}=\frac{\mathrm{Exergy}\unicode{x02007}\mathrm{of}\unicode{x02007}\mathrm{product}\unicode{x02007}({\mathrm{Ex}}_{{\rm{p}}})}{\mathrm{Exergy}\unicode{x02007}\mathrm{of}\unicode{x02007}\mathrm{fuel}\unicode{x02007}({\mathrm{Ex}}_{{\rm{f}}})}=\frac{\frac{{m}_{{\rm{e}}}}{3600}\times \left[\lambda \times \left(1-\frac{{T}_{{\rm{a}}}}{{T}_{{\rm{w}}}}\right)\right]}{I(t)\times A\times \left[1-\frac{4}{3}\times \left(\frac{{T}_{{\rm{a}}}}{{T}_{{\rm{s}}}}\right)+\frac{1}{3}\times {\left(\frac{{T}_{{\rm{a}}}}{{T}_{{\rm{s}}}}\right)}^{4}\right]}.$$$…”

Heat transfer enhancement and applications of thermal energy storage techniques on solar air collectors: A review

“…This might be true only if the solar air collector was the source of energy. Phase change materials were placed in long thin heat pipes [99], cylindrical tanks [100] and rectangular tanks [101].…”

Experimental study for the enhancement of heat transfer characteristics and development of thermal correlations of a roughened solar collector

“…However, it is utilized today for various purposes, including air heating, cooking food, curing crops, aging wood, industrial heating, heating rooms, particularly during the winter, specific commercial heating uses, and so forth. 1 The primary goal of a solarpowered air heater (SPAH) is to capture solar energy and utilize it to heat the air passing through the conduit. 2 Various geometries, including rectangles, triangles, and other shapes, may be included in the solar collector duct.…”

“…The sole purpose for which solar energy was used in earlier days was to preserve food by drying it in solar radiation. However, it is utilized today for various purposes, including air heating, cooking food, curing crops, aging wood, industrial heating, heating rooms, particularly during the winter, specific commercial heating uses, and so forth 1 . The primary goal of a solar‐powered air heater (SPAH) is to capture solar energy and utilize it to heat the air passing through the conduit 2 .…”