DOI: 10.1615/ICHMT.2008.CHT
ISBN Print: 978-1-56700-253-9
ISSN: 2578-5486
NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF TURBULENT FORCED CONVECTION IN SOLAR COLLECTOR PROVIDED WITH THICKNESS BAFFLES AND FINS
ABSTRAKT
A numerical analysis was carried out to study the thermal performances of a solar air collector with rectangular plate fins absorber and baffles which are arranged on the bottom and top channel walls in a periodically staggered way. This technique is used to increase the heat transfer coefficient between the fluid (air) and the absorber in the solar collector; such as the fixation of baffles and fins to the absorber. To this end we solved numerically, by the finite volumes method, the conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy. The low Reynolds number k−ε model was adopted for the taking into account of turbulence. The velocity and pressure terms of momentum equations are solved by the SIMPLE algorithm.
The parameters studied include the entrance mass flow rate of air. The influence of the mass flow rate of air and the collector aspect ratio on the axial velocity and the efficiency of upward type baffled solar air heaters have been investigated numerically. The results show that the flow and the heat transfer characteristics are strongly dependent on mass-flow rate of air and the geometry of the baffles. It was observed that increasing the two parameters (blockage ratio and Reynolds number) will increase the Nusselt number, as expected.