Solar air heater is a type of heat exchanger which transforms solar radiation into heat energy. The thermal performance of conventional solar air heater has been found to be poor because of the low convective heat transfer coefficient from the absorber plate to the air. It is attributed to the formation of a very thin boundary layer at the absorber plate surface commonly known as viscous sub-la...

In this article, a numerical investigation is conducted to analyze the two-dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes flows through the artificially roughened solar air heater for relevant Reynolds number ranges from 3800 to 18,000. Twelve different configurations of equilateral triangular sectioned rib (P/e = 7.14–35.71 and e/d = 0.021–0.042) have been used as roughness element. The governing eq...

Abstract Solar water heating systems have been widely used around the world. However, exposure to sunlight can overheat device, affecting efficiency and durability of system. This article proposes an adaptive deck controller that protects system from overheating without compromising availability domestic hot water. heaters are considered one most effective ways reduce a home’s carbon footprint....

Related Articles Heat transfer and friction factor of solar air heater having duct roughened artificially with discrete multiple v-ribs J. Renewable Sustainable Energy 4, 033103 (2012) Heat transfer and friction characteristics of dimple-shaped roughness element arranged in angular fashion (arc) on the absorber plate of solar air heater J. Renewable Sustainable Energy 4, 023112 (2012) Experimen...

Solar thermal water heating systems reduce household energy bills by using the free solar radiation provided by the sun to heat water for residential needs. In order to eliminate the need for electricity to run a pump to drive the fluid circulation in these systems, fluid buoyancy effects can be employed to move the fluid from lower elevations to higher elevations. There are several operational...

In this paper double flow packed bed solar air heater has been investigated theoretically. The effect of air mass flow rate, porosity and different depth ratios at study state conditions on the thermal performance of a double flow packed bed solar air heater is found by using the alternative simulation system. Comparisons between the measured thermal and effective thermal efficiency of the doub...

Solar heating is one of the important utilities of solar energy both in domestic and industrial sectors. Evacuated tube heaters are a commonly used technology for domestic water heating. However, increasing cost of copper and nickel has resulted in huge initial cost for these types of heaters. Utilizing solar energy more economically for domestic use requires new concept which has low initial a...