CFD modeling and performance evaluation of multipass solar air heaters

Moustafa Al-Damook; Zainalabdeen H. Obaid; Mansour Al Qubeissi; Darron Dixon-Hardy; Joshua Cottom; Peter J. Heggs

doi:10.1080/10407782.2019.1637228

CFD modeling and performance evaluation of multipass solar air heaters

Moustafa Al-Damook, Zainalabdeen H. Obaid, Mansour Al Qubeissi, Darron Dixon-Hardy, Joshua Cottom, Peter J. Heggs

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Abstract

This article investigates the impacts of flow configurations on the thermal performance of a solar heater system. Recycled aluminum cans (RACs) have been utilized as turbulators with a double pass single duct solar air collector. The CFD software of COMSOL Multiphysics V5.3a is used to model three designs: Cocurrent (model A), countercurrent (model B), and U-shape (model C). The numerical results reveal that the U-shape design offers a greater thermal performance of 5.4% and 6.5%, respectively, compared with the cocurrent and countercurrent flow models. Furthermore, an outdoor experiment is performed based on the numerical modeling of flow configurations. The experimental setup is examined for three configurations of model C, namely, solar air heater (SAH) without RAC model C-I (plain model), SAH with in-line RAC layout (model C-II), and SAH with staggered RAC layout (model C-III). We found the double pass single duct solar air collector (model C) design is in a good agreement with the experimental data, and model C-III has a better thermal efficiency of 60.2%, compared to those of model C-II, 53.1%, and model C-I, 49.4%.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	438-464
Number of pages	27
Journal	Numerical Heat Transfer; Part A: Applications
Volume	76
Issue number	6
Early online date	18 Jul 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/10407782.2019.1637228
Publication status	Published - 2019

Bibliographical note

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Numerical Heat Transfer; Part A on 18/07/2019 available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10407782.2019.1637228

Copyright © and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.

Keywords

CFD
CFD model
Heat transfer
Photovoltaic (PV)
Thermal and electrical efficiency
Conjugate Heat transfer
Cooling

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1080/10407782.2019.1637228

Post-PrintAccepted author manuscript, 1.9 MBLicence: Unspecified

Cite this

@article{d723945631434b649ca1d489ed2a5663,

title = "CFD modeling and performance evaluation of multipass solar air heaters",

abstract = "This article investigates the impacts of flow configurations on the thermal performance of a solar heater system. Recycled aluminum cans (RACs) have been utilized as turbulators with a double pass single duct solar air collector. The CFD software of COMSOL Multiphysics V5.3a is used to model three designs: Cocurrent (model A), countercurrent (model B), and U-shape (model C). The numerical results reveal that the U-shape design offers a greater thermal performance of 5.4% and 6.5%, respectively, compared with the cocurrent and countercurrent flow models. Furthermore, an outdoor experiment is performed based on the numerical modeling of flow configurations. The experimental setup is examined for three configurations of model C, namely, solar air heater (SAH) without RAC model C-I (plain model), SAH with in-line RAC layout (model C-II), and SAH with staggered RAC layout (model C-III). We found the double pass single duct solar air collector (model C) design is in a good agreement with the experimental data, and model C-III has a better thermal efficiency of 60.2%, compared to those of model C-II, 53.1%, and model C-I, 49.4%.",

keywords = "CFD, CFD model, Heat transfer, Photovoltaic (PV), Thermal and electrical efficiency, Conjugate Heat transfer, Cooling",

author = "Moustafa Al-Damook and Obaid, {Zainalabdeen H.} and {Al Qubeissi}, Mansour and Darron Dixon-Hardy and Joshua Cottom and Heggs, {Peter J.}",

note = "This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Numerical Heat Transfer; Part A on 18/07/2019 available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10407782.2019.1637228 Copyright {\textcopyright} and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. ",

year = "2019",

doi = "10.1080/10407782.2019.1637228",

language = "English",

volume = "76",

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journal = "Numerical Heat Transfer; Part A: Applications",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - CFD modeling and performance evaluation of multipass solar air heaters

AU - Al-Damook, Moustafa

AU - Obaid, Zainalabdeen H.

AU - Al Qubeissi, Mansour

AU - Dixon-Hardy, Darron

AU - Cottom, Joshua

AU - Heggs, Peter J.

N1 - This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Numerical Heat Transfer; Part A on 18/07/2019 available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10407782.2019.1637228 Copyright © and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - This article investigates the impacts of flow configurations on the thermal performance of a solar heater system. Recycled aluminum cans (RACs) have been utilized as turbulators with a double pass single duct solar air collector. The CFD software of COMSOL Multiphysics V5.3a is used to model three designs: Cocurrent (model A), countercurrent (model B), and U-shape (model C). The numerical results reveal that the U-shape design offers a greater thermal performance of 5.4% and 6.5%, respectively, compared with the cocurrent and countercurrent flow models. Furthermore, an outdoor experiment is performed based on the numerical modeling of flow configurations. The experimental setup is examined for three configurations of model C, namely, solar air heater (SAH) without RAC model C-I (plain model), SAH with in-line RAC layout (model C-II), and SAH with staggered RAC layout (model C-III). We found the double pass single duct solar air collector (model C) design is in a good agreement with the experimental data, and model C-III has a better thermal efficiency of 60.2%, compared to those of model C-II, 53.1%, and model C-I, 49.4%.

AB - This article investigates the impacts of flow configurations on the thermal performance of a solar heater system. Recycled aluminum cans (RACs) have been utilized as turbulators with a double pass single duct solar air collector. The CFD software of COMSOL Multiphysics V5.3a is used to model three designs: Cocurrent (model A), countercurrent (model B), and U-shape (model C). The numerical results reveal that the U-shape design offers a greater thermal performance of 5.4% and 6.5%, respectively, compared with the cocurrent and countercurrent flow models. Furthermore, an outdoor experiment is performed based on the numerical modeling of flow configurations. The experimental setup is examined for three configurations of model C, namely, solar air heater (SAH) without RAC model C-I (plain model), SAH with in-line RAC layout (model C-II), and SAH with staggered RAC layout (model C-III). We found the double pass single duct solar air collector (model C) design is in a good agreement with the experimental data, and model C-III has a better thermal efficiency of 60.2%, compared to those of model C-II, 53.1%, and model C-I, 49.4%.

KW - CFD

KW - CFD model

KW - Heat transfer

KW - Photovoltaic (PV)

KW - Thermal and electrical efficiency

KW - Conjugate Heat transfer

KW - Cooling

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U2 - 10.1080/10407782.2019.1637228

DO - 10.1080/10407782.2019.1637228

M3 - Article

SN - 1040-7782

VL - 76

SP - 438

EP - 464

JO - Numerical Heat Transfer; Part A: Applications

JF - Numerical Heat Transfer; Part A: Applications

IS - 6

ER -

CFD modeling and performance evaluation of multipass solar air heaters

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Mansour Al Qubeissi

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CFD modeling and performance evaluation of multipass solar air heaters

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Mansour Al Qubeissi

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