Numerical simulation study on heat performance and pressure loss of solar air heater with sinusoidal baffles

Xiaolong Wang; Lingning Zhang; Yuan Chang; Yang Song; Liang Wang; Xiaolong Wang; Lingning Zhang; Yuan Chang; Yang Song; Liang Wang

doi:10.3934/energy.2024029

AIMS Energy

2024, Volume 12, Issue 3: 617-638. doi: 10.3934/energy.2024029

Previous Article Next Article

Research article

Numerical simulation study on heat performance and pressure loss of solar air heater with sinusoidal baffles

1.
School of Energy and Machinery, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
2.
School of Thermal Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, China
3.
School of Art, Shandong Management University, Jinan 250101, China

Received: 31 January 2024 Revised: 29 April 2024 Accepted: 08 May 2024 Published: 17 May 2024

Heat performance and internal pressure loss are important reference standards in solar air heaters (SAH). In order to solve the problem of too large a pressure loss in SAH, an innovative SAH with sinusoidal baffles was proposed on the basis of folded baffle and semi-circular baffle air heaters. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation calculation was performed for the SAH with sinusoidal baffles, and the relevant parameters, such as the heat collection efficiency and the pressure loss, were analyzed. The results showed that the sinusoidal baffle had a better heat collection performance and a smaller pressure loss compared to the folded baffle and the semi-circular baffle. A sinusoidal baffle can further improve the thermal performance of SAH. The simulation calculation of wave lengths for sinusoidal baffles revealed that when the wavelength value was 200 mm, the SAH had the best heat collection effect, and the heat collection efficiency was 64.49%. On the basis of determining the wavelength, the wave height of the sinusoidal baffle was studied. When the wave height was 30 mm, the minimum pressure loss of the SAH was 17.51 Pa, and the maximum heat collection efficiency was 64.91%. Analyses and research on the Reynolds number of the air inlet showed that as the Reynolds number increased, the collection efficiency and internal pressure loss gradually increased, while the outlet temperature decreased. The curve fitting of the imported Reynolds number and the pressure loss showed that the accuracy of pressure loss fitting curve is 0.997. Research on a double-layer SAH showed that the cross different inlet (CDI) had the best collector performance. This research has a high practicality and can provide a theoretical basis for winter air heating.
- SAH,
- sinusoidal baffle,
- outlet temperature,
- heat collection efficiency,
- internal pressure loss,
- winter indoor heating
Citation: Xiaolong Wang, Lingning Zhang, Yuan Chang, Yang Song, Liang Wang. Numerical simulation study on heat performance and pressure loss of solar air heater with sinusoidal baffles[J]. AIMS Energy, 2024, 12(3): 617-638. doi: 10.3934/energy.2024029

Related Papers:

Abstract

Heat performance and internal pressure loss are important reference standards in solar air heaters (SAH). In order to solve the problem of too large a pressure loss in SAH, an innovative SAH with sinusoidal baffles was proposed on the basis of folded baffle and semi-circular baffle air heaters. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation calculation was performed for the SAH with sinusoidal baffles, and the relevant parameters, such as the heat collection efficiency and the pressure loss, were analyzed. The results showed that the sinusoidal baffle had a better heat collection performance and a smaller pressure loss compared to the folded baffle and the semi-circular baffle. A sinusoidal baffle can further improve the thermal performance of SAH. The simulation calculation of wave lengths for sinusoidal baffles revealed that when the wavelength value was 200 mm, the SAH had the best heat collection effect, and the heat collection efficiency was 64.49%. On the basis of determining the wavelength, the wave height of the sinusoidal baffle was studied. When the wave height was 30 mm, the minimum pressure loss of the SAH was 17.51 Pa, and the maximum heat collection efficiency was 64.91%. Analyses and research on the Reynolds number of the air inlet showed that as the Reynolds number increased, the collection efficiency and internal pressure loss gradually increased, while the outlet temperature decreased. The curve fitting of the imported Reynolds number and the pressure loss showed that the accuracy of pressure loss fitting curve is 0.997. Research on a double-layer SAH showed that the cross different inlet (CDI) had the best collector performance. This research has a high practicality and can provide a theoretical basis for winter air heating.

References

[1]	Jia B, Liu F, Wang D (2019) Experimental study on the performance of spiral solar air heater. Sol Energy 182: 16–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2019.02.033 doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2019.02.033
[2]	Hao W, Zhang H, Liu S, et al. (2012) Design and prediction method of dual working medium solar energy drying system. Appl Therm Eng 195: 117153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2021.117153 doi: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2021.117153
[3]	Zayed ME, Zhao J, Elsheikh AH, et al. (2019) Application of cascaded phase change materials in solar water collector storage tank:A review. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 199: 24–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2019.04.018 doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2019.04.018
[4]	Yin Y, Chen H, Zhao X, et al. (2022) Solar-absorbing energy storage materials demonstrating superior solar-thermal conversion and solar-persistent luminescence conversion towards building thermal management and passive illumination. Energy Convers Manage 266: 115804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2022.115804 doi: 10.1016/j.enconman.2022.115804
[5]	Muthukumaran J, Senthil R (2022) Experimental performance of a solar air heater using straight and spiral absorber tubes with thermal energy storage. J Energy Storage 45: 103796. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2021.103796 doi: 10.1016/j.est.2021.103796
[6]	Stelian BA, Croitoru C, Bode F, et al. (2022) Experimental investigation of an enhanced transpired air solar collector with embodied phase changing materials. J Cleaner Prod 336: 130398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.130398 doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.130398
[7]	Zayed ME, Zhao J, Li W, et al. (2020) Recent progress in phase change materials storage containers: Geometries, design considerations and heat transfer improvement methods. J Energy Storage 30: 101341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2020.101341 doi: 10.1016/j.est.2020.101341
[8]	El-Said EMS, Gohar MA, Ali A, et al. (2022) Performance enhancement of a double pass solar air heater by using curved reflector: Experimental investigation. Appl Therm Eng 202: 117867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2021.117867 doi: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2021.117867
[9]	Heydari A, Mesgarpour M (2018) Experimental analysis and numerical modeling of solar air heater with helical flow path. Sol Energy 162: 278–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2018.01.030 doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2018.01.030
[10]	Gopi R, Ponnusamy P, Fantin AA, et al. (2021) Performance comparison of flat plate collectors in solar air heater by theoretical and computational method. Mater Today: Proc 39: 823–826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.09.809 doi: 10.1016/j.matpr.2020.09.809
[11]	Nain S, Ahlawat V, Kajal S, et al. (2021) Performance analysis of different U-shaped heat exchangers in parabolic trough solar collector for air heating applications. Case Stud Therm Eng 25: 100949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csite.2021.100949 doi: 10.1016/j.csite.2021.100949
[12]	Perwez A, Kumar R (2019) Thermal performance investigation of the flat and spherical dimple absorber plate solar air heaters. Sol Energy 193: 309–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2019.09.066 doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2019.09.066
[13]	Jiang Y, Zhang H, Wang Y, et al. (2021) A comparative study on the performance of a novel triangular solar air collector with tilted transparent cover plate. Sol Energy 227: 224–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2021.08.083 doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2021.08.083
[14]	Zhang H, Ma X, You S, et al. (2018) Mathematical modeling and performance analysis of a SAH with silt-perforated corrugated plate. Sol Energy 167: 147–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2018.04.003 doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2018.04.003
[15]	Saedodin S, Zaboli M, Ajarostaghi SSM (2021) Hydrothermal analysis of heat transfer and thermal performance characteristics in a parabolic trough solar collector with Turbulence-Inducing elements. Sustainable Energy Technol Assess 46: 101266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2021.101266 doi: 10.1016/j.seta.2021.101266
[16]	Chand S, Chand P, Kumar GH (2022) Thermal performance enhancement of solar air heater using louvered fins collector. Sol Energy 239: 10–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2022.04.046 doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2022.04.046
[17]	Rehman T, Nguyen DD, Sajawal M (2024) Smart optimization and investigation of a PCMs-filled helical finned-tubes double-pass solar air heater: An experimental data-driven deep learning approach. Therm Sci Eng Prog 49: 102433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsep.2024.102433 doi: 10.1016/j.tsep.2024.102433
[18]	Saravanakumar PT, Somasundaram D, Matheswaran MM (2020) Exergetic investigation and optimization of arc shaped rib roughened solar air heater integrated with fins and baffles. Appl Therm Eng 175: 115316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2020.115316 doi: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2020.115316
[19]	Marwa A, Ameni M, Hatem M, et al. (2020) Numerical analysis of SAH provided with rows of rectangular fins. Energy Rep 6: 3412–3424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2020.11.252 doi: 10.1016/j.egyr.2020.11.252
[20]	Aref L, Fallahzadeh R, Shabanian SR, et al. (2021) A novel dual-diameter closed-loop pulsating heat pipe for a flat plate solar collector. Energy 230: 120751. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.120751 doi: 10.1016/j.energy.2021.120751
[21]	Saravanan A, Murugan M, Sreenivasa RM, et al. (2021) Thermo-hydraulic performance of a solar air heater with staggered C-shape finned absorber plate. Int J Therm Sci 2021,168: 107068. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2021.107068 doi: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2021.107068
[22]	Du J, Chen H, Li Q, et al. (2024) Turbulent flow-thermal-thermodynamic characteristics of a solar air heater with spiral fins. Int J Heat Mass Transfer 226: 125434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2024.125434 doi: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2024.125434
[23]	Elumalai V, Arunkumar T, Thiruselvam K, et al. (2021) Thermal performance improvement in solar air heating: An absorber with continuous and discrete tubular and v-corrugated fins. Therm Sci Eng Prog 48: 102416. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsep.2024.102416 doi: 10.1016/j.tsep.2024.102416
[24]	Waheed S, Mahamed E, Ravishankar S, et al. (2023) Performance evaluation of a solar air heater with staggered/longitudinal finned absorber plate integrated with aluminium sponge porous medium. J Build Eng 73: 106841. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2023.106841 doi: 10.1016/j.jobe.2023.106841
[25]	Wang L, Man Y (2018) Numerical simulation of SAH with folded baffles. Renewable Energy Resour 36: 997–1003. https://doi.org/10.13941/j.cnki.21-1469/tk.2018.07.008 doi: 10.13941/j.cnki.21-1469/tk.2018.07.008
[26]	Jia B, Yang L, Zhang L, et al. (2021) Optimizing structure of baffles on thermal performance of spiral solar air heaters. Sol Energy 224: 757–764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2021.06.043 doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2021.06.043
[27]	Rani P, Tripathy PP (2022) Experimental investigation on heat transfer performance of solar collector with baffles and semicircular loops fins under varied air mass flow rates. Int J Therm Sci 178: 107597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2022.107597 doi: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2022.107597
[28]	Jia B, Liu F, Li X, et al. (2021) Influence on thermal performance of spiral solar air heater with longitudinal baffles. Sol Energy 225: 969–977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2021.08.004 doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2021.08.004
[29]	Zayed ME, Kabeel A, Bashar S, et al. (2023) Performance augmentation and machine learning-based modeling of wavy corrugated solar air collector embedded with thermal energy storage: Support vector machine combined with Monte Carlo simulation. J Energy Storage 74: 109533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2023.109533 doi: 10.1016/j.est.2023.109533
[30]	Magda K, Aly-Eldeen A, Abdelmaqsoud A, et al. (2024) Enhanced performance assessment of an integrated evacuated tube and flat plate collector solar air heater with thermal storage material. Appl Therm Eng 245: 122653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2024.122653 doi: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2024.122653
[31]	Wang L (2022) Research on the collect heat performance of new type collector. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Util, Environ Effects, 44: 9412–9427. https://doi.org/10.1080/15567036.2021.1954729 doi: 10.1080/15567036.2021.1954729
[32]	Song Z, Xue Y, Jia B, et al. (2022) Introduction of the rectangular hole plate in favor the performance of photovoltaic thermal solar air heaters with baffles. Appl Therm Eng 220: 119774. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2022.119774 doi: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2022.119774
[33]	Zhang D, Zhang J, Zhang Y, et al, (2019) Baffles optimization of a flat plate SAH with double channel. J Shanghai Jiao tong Univ 53: 1302–1307. https://doi.org/10.16183/j.cnki.jsjtu.2019.11.005 doi: 10.16183/j.cnki.jsjtu.2019.11.005

Reader Comments

Your name:*

Email:*
© 2024 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)