EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON DOUBLE PASS SOLAR AIR HEATER WITH MESH LAYERS AS ABSORBER PLATE

Year 2013, Volume: 3 Issue: 4, 673 - 682, 01.12.2013

Raheleh Nowzaria L. B. Y. Aldabbagh Nima Mirzaei

Abstract

The double pass solar air heater is constructed and tested for thermal efficiency at a geographic location of Cyprus in the city of Famagusta. The absorber plate was replaced by fourteen steel wire mesh layers, 0.2 × 0.2 cm in cross section opening, and they were fixed in the duct parallel to the glazing. The distance between each set of wire mesh layers is 0.5cm to reduce the pressure drop. The wire mesh layers were painted with black before installing them into the collector. The obtained results show that as the mass flow rate increases, the efficiency of the system also increases. The temperature difference (ΔT) between the inlet and outlet air through the system increases as the mass flow rate decreases. The maximum ΔT (53°C) is achieved at the flow rate of 0.011 kg/s. The range of the mass flow rate used in this work is between 0.011 and 0.037 kg/s. It is also found that the average efficiency obtained for the double pass air collector is 53.7% for the mass flow rate of 0.037 kg/s.

Keywords

SOLAR AIR HEATER, PACKED BED, THERMAL EFFICIENCY

References

• Akpinar, E.K., Sarsilmaz, C., Yildiz, C. “Mathematical modeling of a thin layer drying of apricots in a solar energized rotary dryer” International Journal of Energy Research, , 28:739–752. Qenawy, A.M., Mohamad, A.A. “Analysis of high efficiency solar air heater for cold climates” 2nd Canadian solar buildings conference, 2007, Calgary, June 10–14.
• Omojaro, A.P., L.B.Y. Aldabbagh. “Experimental performance of single and double pas solar air heater with fins and steel wire mesh as absorber” Applied Energy, 2010, :3759-3765.
• El-khawajah, M.F., L.B.Y., Aldabbagh, F., Egelioglu. “The effect of using transverse fins on a double pass flow solar air heater using wire mesh as an absorber” Solar Energy, , 85:1479–1487.
• Tian, J., Kim, T., Lu, T.J., Hodson, H.P., Queheillalt, D.T., Sypeck, D.J., et al. “The effects of topology upon fluid flow and heat transfer within cellular copper structures” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2004, 47:3171-3186.
• Wenxian, Lin, Wenfeng, Gao, Tao, Liu. “A parametric study on the thermal performance of cross-corrugated solar air collectors” Applied Thermal Engineering, 2006, :1043–1053.
• Donggen, Peng, Xiaosong, Zhang, Hua, Dong, Kun L.v. 2010. “Performance study of a novel solar air collector” Applied Thermal Engineering, 2010, 30:549-560.
• Mittal, M.K., Varshney, L. “Optimal thermohydraulic performance of a wire mesh packed solar air heater” Solar Energy, 2006, :1112–1120.
• Kolb, A., Winter, E.R.F., Viskanta, R. “Experimental studies on a solar air collector with metal matrix absorber” Solar Energy, , 65:91–98. Ho-Ming, Yeh, Chii-Dong, Ho, Chi-Yen, Lin. “Effect of collector aspect ratio on the collector efficiency of upward type baffled solar air heaters” Energy Conversion & Management, 2000, 41:971-981.
• Aldabbagh, L.B.Y., Egelioglu, F., Ilkan, M. “Single and double pass solar air heaters with wire mesh as packing bed” Energy, 2010, :3783-3787.
• Holman, J.P. “Experimental methods for engineers” New York: McGraw-Hill, 1989.
• Esen, H. “Experimental energy and energy analysis of a double-flow solar air heater having different obstacles on absorber plates” Build Environ, 2008, 43:1046–1054.
• El-Sebaii, A.A., Aboul-Enein, S., Ramadan, M.R.I., El-Bialy, E. “Year round performance of double pass solar air heater with packed bed” Energy Conversion and Management, 2007, 48: 990-1003.
• Ramadan, M.R.I., EL-Sebaii, A.A., Aboul-Enein, S., El-Bialy, E. “Thermal performance of a packed bed double-pass solar air heater” Energy, 2007, 32:1524-1535.
• Sopian, K., Supranto, W.R.W., Daud, M.Y., Othman, B.Y. “Thermal performance of the double-pass solar collector with and without porous media” Renew Energy, 1999, : 557–564.
• Sopian, K., Alghoul, M.A., Ebrahim, M.A., “Evaluation of thermal efficiency of double- pass solar collector with porous–nonporous media” Renew Energy, 2009, 34: 640–645.