Performance study of solar air heater with thermally conducted multi V shaped baffles and ribs

Abstract EN

In this study, solar air heater with thermally conducted multi V shaped baffles and with same baffles and ribs are investigated experimentally and numerically to improve the performance of conventional air heaters.

Numerically, steady state 3D forced convection turbulent model is used to solve Navier Stokes and energy equations of airflow inside rectangular duct of solar air heater.

The code was validated by comparing the numerical result with experimental results and the agreement seems acceptable.

The numerical studies were extended to study the cases of flat plate and straight baffles solar air heater.

From experimental and numerical studies, it was found that the collector with V shaped baffles and ribs has the highest efficiency.

The results showed that the V shaped baffles and ribs solar air heater is 14% more efficient compared to flat plate collectors.