Empirical Investigation of Small-Scale Aluminium Wool Packed Solar Air Heater Made with Waste Material

Abstract

Waste production is an important problem for the developing world and globalization. The waste materials can be reused through recycling process and its environmental effects can be minimized. Utilizing renewable energy sources at the maximum level is also an important issue for a sustainable development in future as well as waste management. In this study, small-scale solar air heating systems were produced from waste materials to analyze the usability of waste material in renewable energy systems. Scrap metal elbows were used in the production of heaters. The first solar heater is hollow (SH) and the second one was modified by filling it with aluminum wool (SHAW). Both heaters were tested simultaneously at different flow rates (0.014, 0.010 and 0.006 kg/s). According to the experimental results, the thermal efficiency values for SH and SHAW were found in the range of 33.63-42.90% and 42.69-56.98%, respectively. In addition, it was observed that a low cost modification such as using aluminum wool can significantly increase thermal performance of the solar heating system. 

Keywords

• Solar air heater,solar energy,scrap metal elbow,aluminium wool,recycling

References

1. [1] Singh, A., “Solid waste management through the applications of mathematical models”, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 151: 104503, (2019).
2. [2] Fidelis, R., Marco-Ferreira, A., Antunes, L.C. and Komatsu, A.K., “Socio-productive inclusion of scavengers in municipal solid waste management in Brazil: Practices, paradigms and future prospects”, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 154: 104594, (2020).
3. [3] Zhou, Z., Chi, Y., Dong, J., Tang, Y. and Ni, M., “Model development of sustainability assessment from a life cycle perspective: A case study on waste management systems in China”, Journal of Cleaner Production, 210: 1005-1014. (2019).
4. [4] Fuldauer, L.I., Ives, M.C., Adshead, D., Thacker, S. and Hall, J.W., “Participatory planning of the future of waste management in small island developing states to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals”, Journal of Cleaner Production, 223:147-162, (2019).
5. [5] Gunarathne, N., de Alwis, A. and Alahakoon, Y., “Challenges facing sustainable urban mining in the e-waste recycling industry in Sri Lanka”, Journal of Cleaner Production, 251:119641, (2020).
6. [6] Tansel, B., “From electronic consumer products to e-wastes: Global outlook, waste quantities, recycling challenges”, Environment International, 98:35-45, (2017).
7. [7] Shaikh, S., Thomas, K. and Zuhair, S., “An exploratory study of e-waste creation and disposal: Upstream considerations”, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 155:104662, (2020).
8. [8] Yu, D., Duan, H., Song, Q., Li, X., Zhang, H., Zhang, H., Liu, Y., Shen, W. and Wanh, J., “Characterizing the environmental impact of metals in construction and demolition waste”, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25:13823–13832, (2018).

9. [9] Galvin, A.P., Ayuso, J., Jimenez, J.R. and Agrela, F., “Comparison of batch leaching tests and influence of pH on the release of metals from construction and demolition wastes”, Waste Management, 32:88-95, (2012).
10. [10] Hadavand, B. and Imaninasab, R., “Assessing the influence of construction and demolition waste materials on workability and mechanical properties of concrete using statistical analysis”, Innovative Infrastructure Solutions, 4:29, (2019).
11. [11] Lamnatou, C., Cristofari, C., Chemisana, D. and Canaletti, J.L., “Payback times and multiple midpoint/endpoint impact categories about Building-Integrated Solar Thermal (BIST) collectors”, Science of The Total Environment, 658:1039-1055, (2019).
12. [12] Hosseini, S.S., Ramiar, A. and Ranjbar, A.A., “Numerical investigation of natural convection solar air heater with different fins shape”, Renewable Energy, 117:488-500, (2018).
13. [13] Afshari, F., Khanlari, A., Sözen, A., Şirin, C., Tuncer, A.D. and Güngör, A., “CFD analysis on fin and baffle configurations in solar air collector”, Energy And Environmental Studies For The Near Future, Akademisyen Publishing, Ankara, Turkey, 79-87, (2019).
14. [14] Kaya, M., Gürel, A.E., Ağbulut, Ü., Ceylan, I., Çelik, S., Ergün, A. and Acar, B., “Performance analysis of using CuO-Methanol nanofluid in a hybrid system with concentrated air collector and vacuum tube heat pipe”, Energy Conversion and Management, 199:111936, (2019).
15. [15] Gürel, A.E., “Exergetic assessment of a concentrated photovoltaic thermal (CPV/T) system”, International Journal of Exergy, 21:127-135, (2016).
16. [16] Güler, H.Ö., Sözen, A., Tuncer, A.D., Afshari, F., Khanlari, A., Şirin, C. and Gungor, A., “Experimental and CFD survey of indirect solar dryer modified with low-cost iron mesh”, Solar Energy, 197:371-384, (2020).
17. [17] Khanlari, A., Sözen, A., Şirin, C., Tuncer, A.D. and Gungor, A., “Performance enhancement of a greenhouse dryer: Analysis of a cost-effective alternative solar air heater”, Journal of Cleaner Production, 251:119672, (2020).
18. [18] Chouksey, V.K. and Sharma, S.P., “Investigations on thermal performance characteristics of wire screen packed bed solar air heater”, Solar Energy, 132:591-605, (2016).
19. [19] Singh, P.L., Deshpandey, S.D. and Jena, P.C., “Thermal performance of packed bed heat storage system for solar air heaters”, Energy for Sustainable Development, 29:112-117, (2015).
20. [20] Dhiman, P., Thakur, N.S. and Chauhan, S.R., “Thermal and thermohydraulic performance of counter and parallel flow packed bed solar air heaters”, Renewable Energy, 46:259-268, (2012).
21. [21] Prasad, S.B., Saini, J.S. and Singh, K.M., “Investigation of heat transfer and friction characteristics of packed bed solar air heater using wire mesh as packing material”, Solar Energy, 83:773-783, (2009).
22. [22] Tiwari, G.N., “Solar Energy: Fundamentals, Design Modeling and Applications”, CRC Press and Narosa Publishing House, New York and New Delhi, (2002).
23. [23] Khanlari, A., Güler, H.Ö., Tuncer, A.D., Şirin, C., Bilge Y.C., Yılmaz, Y. and Güngör, A., “Experimental and numerical study of the effect of integrating plus-shaped perforated baffles to solar air collector in drying application”, Renewable Energy, 145:1677-1692, (2020).
24. [24] Khanlari, A., Sözen, A., Afshari, F., Şirin, C., Tuncer, A.D., and Gungor, A., “Drying municipal sewage sludge with v-groove triple-pass and quadruple-pass solar air heaters along with testing of a solar absorber drying chamber”, Science of The Total Environment, 709:136198, (2020).
25. [25] Singh, S. Singh, A. and Chander, S., “Thermal performance of a fully developed serpentine wavy channel solar air heater”, Journal of Energy Storage, 25:100896, (2019). [26] Perwez, A. and Kumar, R., “Thermal performance investigation of the flat and spherical dimple absorber plate solar air heaters”, Solar Energy, 193:309-323. (2019)
26. [27] Özdemir, M.B., Yatarkalkmaz, M.M. and Dağlı, G., “Experimental Analysis of the Flat Plate Collectors Having Different Types of Absorber Surface”, Journal of Polytechnic, 20:441-449. 2017
27. [28] Razak, A.A., Majid, Z.A.A., Basrawi, F., Sharol, A.F., Ruslan, M.H., and Sopian, K., “A performance and technoeconomic study of different geometrical designs of compact single-pass cross-matrix solar air collector with square-tube absorbers”, Solar Energy, 178:314-330. (2019)
28. [29] Kabeel A.E., Khalil, A., Shalaby, S.M. and Zayed, M.E., “Investigation of the thermal performances of flat, finned, and v-corrugated plate solar air heaters”, Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 138:1-7. (2016)
29. [30] Badescu, V., Soriga, I. and Ciocanea, A., “Solar air collector performance in transient operation under radiative regimes with different levels of stability”, Solar Energy, 177:200-212. (2019)
30. [31] Abuşka, M. and Şevik, S., “Energy, exergy, economic and environmental (4E) analyses of flat-plate and V-groove solar air collectors based on aluminum and copper”, Solar Energy, 158:259-277. (2017)
31. [32] Ceylan, İ. and Gürel, A.E., “Solar-assisted fluidized bed dryer integrated with a heat pump for mint leaves”, Applied Thermal Engineering, 106:899-905, (2016).
32. [33] Buchberg, H. and Edwards, D.K., “Design considerations for solar collectors with cylindrical honeycombs”, Solar Energy 76:193-206, (1976).
33. [34] Ramani, B.M., Gupta, A. and Kumar, R., “Performance of a double pass solar air collector”, Solar Energy 84:1929-1937, (2010).
34. [35] Chii-Dong, H., Chun-Sheng, L., Yu-Chuan, C. and Chun-Chieh, C., “Performance improvement of wire mesh packed double-pass solar air heaters with external recycle”, Renewable Energy, 57:479-489, (2013).
35. [36] Ming, Y., Xudong, Y., Xing, L., Zhifeng, W. and Pengsu, W., “Design and optimization of a solar air heater with offset strip fin absorber plate”, Applied Energy 113:1349-1362, (2014).
36. [37] Thakur, N.S., Saini, J.S. and Solanki, S.C., “Heat transfer and friction factor correlations for packed-bed solar air heater for a low porosity system”, Solar Energy 74:319-329, (2003).
37. [38] Gupta, D., Solanki, S.C. and Saini, J.S., “Thermohydraulic performance of solar air heaters with roughened absorber plates”, Solar Energy 61:33-42, (1997).
38. [39] Akhtar, N. and Mullick, S.C., “Approximate method for computation of glass cover temperature and top heat-loss coefficient of solar collectors with single glazing”, Solar Energy 5:349-354, (1999).
39. [40] Varshney, L. and Saini, J.S., “Heat transfer and friction factor correlations for rectangular solar air heater duct packed with wire mesh screen matrices”, Solar Energy 62:255-262, (1998).
40. [41] EI-Sebaii, A.A, Aboul-Enein, S., Ramadan, M.R.I. and EI-Bialy, E., “Year round performance of double pass solar air heater with packed bed”, Energy Conversion and Management 48:990-1003, (2007).
41. [42] Sopian, K., Supranto, W.R.W., Daud, M.Y. and Yatim, O.B., “Thermal performance of the double-pass solar collector with and without porous media”, Renewable Energy 18:557-564, (1999).