Design and Development of a Parabolic Trough Solar Air Heater for a Greenhouse Dryer

Design and Development of a Parabolic Trough Solar Air Heater (PTSAH) for a Greenhouse Dryer (GD) was done to improve the dryer’s performance. The materials used for the fabrication of the PTSAH included galvanized sheets covered with aluminium foil, an absorber tube made of GI pipe painted matt black to increase heat absorbance at the focal line, mild steel square tubes, shutter plywood, and an axial fan to push air through the absorber tube. Key geometrical parameters used for the design of the PTSAH were a rim angle of 98 degrees, focal length of 0.2608 m, height of 0.3451 m, length of 2 m, and an aperture width of 1.2 m. The PTSAH’s total aperture surface area was 2.4 m2, while its absorber tube surface area was 0.1587 m2. The PTSAH was experimentally tested to establish its thermal performance. It was found that the ambient air recorded an average value of 31.1˚C and that the air heater could increase the air temperature by 45.6˚C above ambient with a thermal efficiency of 5.3%. It can, therefore, be concluded that the PTSAH can significantly improve the performance of a GD by supplying the GD with air at a higher temperature than ambient.

Performance investigation of solar thermal collector with auxiliary heater for space heating

In this paper,the performance of a solar thermal system with a focus on space heating was investigated.A 70 m^(2) detached house was considered in the weather conditions of the city of Tehran,Iran.A thermosyphon solar water heater with a flat plate collector combined with an auxiliary electrical heater supplies the heating demand of the house.The proposed system was modeled and analyzed using TRNSYS software.In this regard,the TRNBuild module was employed for the building load calculation.The model has been simulated for one year of operation.The effects of the solar collector’s surface area and storage volume were assessed.The results show that for a solar collector with a 15 m^(2) surface area,the solar fraction is 0.29 in January,during which the solar radiation is the lowest.Using solar collectors of10 m^(2) and 5 m^(2) surface areas,the solar fraction falls to 0.23 and 0.14,respectively in January.Besides,two cases of 150 L and 300 L storage tanks are taken into account.Eventually,it is found that using a 15 m^(2) solar collector and a 150 L storage tank can appropriately provide the building’ s heating demand taking the thermal performance and economic aspects into consideration.

Effect of obstruction on thermal performance of solar water heaters

Solar water heaters(SWH) are widely used in urban areas because of their advantages in reducing energy consumption and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. However, the performance of SWH subjected to obstructions is unclear yet. In this study, we present a numerical evaluation on thermal performance of fa?ade-installed SWH under three typical obstructed scenarios, based on various levels of sunshine duration. This study is carried out for four locations with various latitudes across China. Thermal performance is measured by solar fraction for annual and monthly evaluation. The results show that the obstruction can seriously degrade annual solar fraction of SWH, even in the 4-hour sunshine duration scenario, for all the studied locations. Interestingly, only lengthening sunshine duration in the standard day(e.g., from 2 h to 4 h) may not result in increasing annual solar fraction markedly. In terms of the monthly performance, solar fraction in January and December decreases significantly, while from May to August it just declines slightly, except for Guangzhou having a swift reduction. This study can provide insights into the behavior and promote the appropriate application of SWH in urban areas.

Experimental Investigation on Turbulent Convection in Solar Air Heater Channel Fitted with Delta Winglet Vortex Generator

The paper presents an experimental study on the heat transfer and flow friction characteristics in a solar air heater channel fitted with delta-winglet type vortex generators （DWs）. The experiments are conducted by varying the airflow rate for Reynolds number in the range of 5000 to 24000 in the test section with a uniform heat-flux applied on the upper channel wall. Firstly, the DW pairs are mounted only at the entrance of the lower wall of the test channel （called DW-E） to create multiple vortex flows at the entry. The effect of two transverse pitches （Re= Pt/H= 1 and 2） at three attack angles （a= 30°, 45° and 60°） of the DW-E with its relative height, b/H= 0.5 （half height of channel） is examined. Secondly, the 30° DWs with three different relative heights （blH = 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5） are placed on the upper wall only （absorber plate, called DW-A） of the test channel. The experimental result reveals that in the first case, the 60° DW-E at Rp = 1 provides the highest heat transfer and friction factor while the 30° DW-E at Rp = 1 performs overall better than the others. In the second case, the 30° DW-A at b/H= 0.5 yields the highest heat transfer and friction factor but the best thermal performance is found at b/H = 0.4.

Situation of China's solar water heater industry,related national standards,testing and the Golden Sun certification program

China is the largest solar water heater producer and market in the world.Despite the fast growth and an installed capacity that accounts for the majority of the global gross,China's per capita solar hot water capacity is still very low,implying a huge margin of market potential;and the recognition of the industry in the global market is handicapped by the scattered scale of production and inconsistent product quality.To ensure continued growth of China's solar water heating(SWH) industry,Chinese Government has established a series of national SWH standards,three national testing centers,and a certification program to lay the foundation for the development of the Golden Sun product labeling system.China General Certification Center(CGC) developed the Golden Sun product certification and labeling system on a pass/fail basis evaluating with established criteria.The system was designed to help manufacturers acclimate to explicit consistent requirements and to identify and fix the deficiencies in the design and execution of the program itself.Timely revision and integration of the national standards are recommended to accommodate the test procedures and requirements to new technologies and the evolving SWH market.Strict implementation of the Golden Sun certification and labeling system are suggested to avail improving the quality control and forging internationally reputable brands of Chinese solar water heating products.

Experimental Performance Analysis of a Corrugation Type Solar Air Heater(CTSAH)

This paper explains the experimental performance evaluation of a Corrugated Type Solar Air Heater(CTSAH)for understanding its performance in a humid tropical climatic condition in Puducherry,India.This helps in understanding its effectiveness in using it for drying application of products like seafood,etc.Experiments were conducted at different mass flow rates and their effect on the heat gain,efficiency,friction factor heat transfer,etc.,was analyzed.Experiments were carried out at different mass flow rates,i.e.,M1=0.06 kg/s,M2=0.14 kg/s,M3=0.17 kg/s,M4=0.25 kg/s,M5=0.3 kg/s,and were conducted from 11:00 h to 14:00 h.The air inlet&air temperature is found to be at an average of 40°C whereas the incident solar radiation is at an average of 795 W/m2.Experimental results show that the optimum performance of the CTSAH is in the mass flow rate range of 0.14–0.25(kg/s).Also,the calculated useful heat produced,convective heat transfer coefficients,effective efficiency,optical efficiency provides knowledge on the potential use of the air heater.

Using the Taguchi Method and Grey Relational Analysis to Optimize the Performance of a Solar Air Heater

Solar energy is regarded as one of the promising renewable energy sources in the world.The main aim of this study is to use the Taguchi-Grey relational grade analysis to optimize the performance of two Solar Air Heaters(SAHs).A typical Grey–Taguchi method was applied.The Orthogonal Array,Signal-to-Noise ratio,Grey Relational Grade,and Analysis of Variance were employed to investigate the performance characteristics of SAH.Experimental observations were made in agreement with Jordanian climate 32°00′N latitude and 36°00′E longitude with a solar intensity of 500 W\m^(2).The operating factors selected for optimization are the tilt angle(T)with three levels(0°,22°,45°),inlet velocity(V)with two levels(1.2,1.8 m/s),and absorber plate material(M)with two levels(Aluminum,wood).In this study,the Grey–Taguchi approach is validated by performing 12 individual experiments.The results show that the process factors sequence required for a maximum SAH efficiency(SAHµ)is V>T>M.Using this approach,we combined the Orthogonal Array design with Grey Relational Analysis.As a result of that,the level of each operating conditions which optimizes both process responses(Temperature difference,ΔT and Solar air heater efficiency,SAHµ)can be specified with a minimum number of tests compared with classic Grey Relational Analysis.The optimal operating conditions of a SAH for multiple performance characteristics are determined as T2,M2,and V2,respectively,which are in congruence with the experimental results.

Low molybdenum ultra-pure ferritic stainless steel for solar water heaters

In order to meet the demands of service life and the synthetical performance/price ratio of stainless steel in the solar water heater industry, the low molybdenum ultra-pure ferritic stainless steel （FSS） B445J1M was developed at Baosteel. In this study, comparative studies were carried out on the mechanical properties, the formability and the corrosion resistance of B445J1M ,304 and 444 ,and the advantages and application fields of B445J1M were summarized.

Energy and Exergy Analysis of a Finned-Plate Double Pass Solar Air Heater with Different Arrangement

The present work investigated the solar collector system with triangular longitudinal fins fixed to the absorber surface at different configuration. Four models of collectors were manufactured with different absorber plates made from aluminum material. The experiments were carried out at the winter session in the climate of Iraq—Ramadi city with longitude (43.268) and latitude (33.43). The experiments have used three values from (0.027 to 0.037) kg/s. The results showed that the temperature difference increases gradually until midday and begins decreasing gradually until it becomes zero at sunset. Maximum temperatures difference has been obtained at the fourth type which is (20.6 °C), and maximum efficiency and exergetic efficiency (99.9%), (43.08%) respectively. A comparison has been made with previous works for thermal and exergetic efficiency. The comparison showed good compatibility between results; the percentage of error does not exceed 3%. The results proved that the existence of fins was a good technique for enhancing the thermal performance of double pass solar collector with a non-effective increase in pressure drop.

Performance of Water in Glass Evacuated Tube Solar Water Heater under Kenya Climatic Condition

Solar water heaters which provide a cost-effective and environmental friendly approach to hot water generation are in widespread application. Evacuated tube solar water heaters perform better than flat plate solar water heaters as a result of their greater surface area exposed for sunlight absorption. Water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters are widely used as compared to heat-pipe solar water heaters due to their short payback periods. In this study, the performance of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heater is investigated through experiments under the climatic conditions in Kenya. The results revealed a daily efficiency range of 0.58 - 0.65 and a daily final outlet temperature greater than 55°C given an initial temperature of 25°C.

Design of Scenery Complementary Solar Water Heater Based cm Eddy Current Method

This paper uses scenery complementary heating method to discuss a new type of scenery complementary water heater design. This product can be divided into two parts. The first part is the eddy current method wind power heating part, which is driven by wind power and vertical axis wind turbines and the design of magnet array rotor disc rotation, namely, magnetic field rotating, induced eddy current in the stator, so as to generate heat. The second part is the solar heating part. This works has broad market prospect, which provides a new idea for large-scaled heating method.

he Design of Efficient Heat Transfer Based on Flat Plate Solar Water Heater

This is an improved design based on the existing plate type solar water heaters. It aims at making full use of solar energy. To fully absorb radiation, it absorbs coating selectively by adopting the magnetron sputtering technology AL-N/AL. this design conduct heat through aluminum material which can reduce the cost meanwhile conduct heat effectively. To ensure the quality of the water at the same time improve the utilization rate of solar energy, this design use phase change for second heat exchange. Take Shanghai for example, where this design and heat transfer model are applied, the average efficiency of water heaters can achieve 68%, which has proven the feasibility of the design. In a word, this design can achieve the goal of energy conservation and emissions reduction and has broad market prospects.

Temperature Profiles in the Flow Channel of a Natural Convection Solar Air Heater

An experimental investigation was conducted to measure the temperature variation across the flow channel and to determine the performance of a natural convection solar air heater at various tilt angles from 15, 30 and 45°. The results of the temperature profile across the air gap showed that heat transfer from the absorber plate to the air stream was mainly by convection. At a particular section, mean air temperature could be calculated from the arithmetic mean of the temperature profile across the air gap to within ± 2 ℃. The axial air temperature distribution was non linear and did not increase much beyond 1 m of collector length. It tended to decrease towards the end of the collector. Overall glass, absorber plate and mean air temperatures over the entire length of the solar air heater could be determined by averaging the mean axial temperatures to within ± 2 ℃. The heater performed better as inclination increased.

Performance of U-tube Solar Water Heaters Facing Different Directions

System performance of solar water heaters depends upon collector and storage tank designs, solar radiation intensity and ambient temperature, amongst others. Evacuated glass tube collectors with U-tubes inside are less prone to leakages than the all-glass or the heat pipe types. U-tube solar water heaters suspended on walls and balconies could help overcome present day roof space restriction and increasing apartment-style housing. As such, their performance would depend upon its orientation when mounted in a vertical position. This paper reports the results of outdoor tests conducted on natural convection U-tube solar water heaters oriented towards different directions. Long and short term test procedures were employed to allow us to compare their performances as if they were tested simultaneously side-by-side.

Numerical analysis of the return flow solar air heater(RF-SAH)with assimilation of V-type artificial roughness

A novel design of Return Flow Solar Air Heater(RFSAH)with different arrangements of baffles especially V-Type Artificial roughness is simulated and numerically analyzed with energy balance equations.To enhance the effectiveness of baffles,numerous studies have been conducted.The performance of the RFSAH is studied in terms of thermal efficiency,thermo-hydraulic efficiency,and optimization of baffle parameters.Maximum Thermal efficiency and thermo-hydraulic efficiency are found in RFSAH with baffle on both sides of the absorber plate and mass flow rate above 0.2kg/s.Sensitivity analysis of the influencing parameters is carried out and reported the best performance of the system on selective geometrical parameters(ψ=0.7,β=20%,e/H=1,p/e=0.8,α=60°).The results obtained from the present model are validated with the published experimental results and have been found in quite reasonable agreement with an average error of 16.45%.Thermal and Thermohydraulic efficiency of RFSAH with a baffle on both sides of the absorber plate is maximum among baffles below,above,and on both sides of the absorber plate.It is observed that the thermal efficiency of RFSAH is greater than SF-SAH.The proposed optimum baffles roughness is suggested to increase the air upholding time period for more efficient output.

Application of Response Surface Methodology for Analysing and Optimizing the Finned Solar Air Heater

In this research paper,a solar air heater with triangular fins has been experimentally analysed and optimized.Initially,an experimental set-up of a solar air heater having triangular fins has been developed at the location of 28.10°N,78.23°E.The heat transfer rate through fins and fins efficiency has been determined by the Finite Difference Method model equations.The experimental data and modeled data of response parameters have been optimized in MINITAB-17 software by the Response Surface Methodology tool.For creating the response surface design,three input parameters have been selected namely solar intensity,Reynolds number,and fin base-to-height ratio.The range of solar intensity,Reynolds number,and fin base-to-height ratio is 600 to 1000W/m^(2),4000 to 6000,and 0.4 to 0.8 respectively.The response surface design has been analyzed by calculating the outlet temperature,friction factor,Nusselt number,fin efficiency,thermal performance factor,and exergy efficiency.The optimum settings of input parameters:solar intensity is 1000 W/m^(2);Reynolds number is 4969.7,and the fin base to height ratio is 0.6060,on which these response:namely outlet temperature of 92.531℃,friction factor of 0.2350,Nusselt number of 127.761,thermal efficiency of 50.836%,thermal performance factor of 1.4947,and exergy efficiency of 8.762%.

A comprehensive review of rectangular duct solar air heaters featuring artificial roughness

Solar air heaters(SAHs)are widely used solar thermal systems with applications in diverse sectors.However,its effectiveness is re-strained by low convective heat transfer(HT)coefficients at the absorber plate,leading to inefficient HT,and the elevated temperature of the absorber plate causes significant heat losses,reducing thermal efficiency.This study addresses these challenges by introducing ribs or roughness on the absorber plate creating turbulence in the airflow,resulting in significant improvements.The research inves-tigates various rib configurations,the influence of rib parameters,performance methods,and arrangements to evaluate their HT and friction characteristics.Among these rib configurations,a comparative analysis is done on various factors such as the Nusselt number ratio,thermal enhancement factor,friction factor ratio,and thermal efficiency to optimize distinct roughness parameters and rib ar-rangement patterns.This study also provides valuable recommendations from existing literature,offering insights into the effective design,prospects,and implementation of SAH systems.

基于单片机的太阳能热水器控制系统的设计

针对市场上的部分太阳能热水器功能简单、运行繁琐、管理不方便等的问题,研制了一款比较智能的太阳能热水器,实现了温度、水位和时钟实时显示以及自动加热和上水功能。

Experimental assessment of two-phase bubble pump for solar water heating

The research goal is to develop a new solar water heater system(SWHS) that uses a solar bubble pump instead of an electric pump.The pump is powered by the steam produced from an evacuated tube collector.Therefore,heat could be transferred downward from the collector to a hot water storage tank.The designed system consists of two sets of heat-pipe evacuated tube collectors,a solar bubble pump installed at an upper level and a water storage tank with a heat exchanger at a lower level.Discharge heads of 1 and 5 m were tested.The bubble pump could operate at the collector temperature of about 90-100 ℃ and vapor gage pressure of 80-90 kPa.It is found that water circulation within the SWHS depends on the incident solar intensity and system discharge head.Experimental investigations are conducted to obtain the system thermal efficiencies from the hourly,daily and long-term performance tests.The thermal performance of the proposed system is compared with conventional solar water heaters.The results show that the proposed system achieves system characteristic efficiency of 10% higher than that of the conventional systems using electric pump if taking the consumption of electric power into account.And the former is a zero carbon system.

Thermodynamic Performance Analysis of a Low-Cost,Recycled and Energy-Efficient Solar Air Heater with Waste Beverage Cans:An Experimental Research

Solar air heaters are at the centre of interest owing to their widespread use for various purposes.In the study,thermal performance analysis of a solar air heater that can be easily produced from daily waste materials is done.The system has a low-cost structure with both waste material use and a simple design.The proposed system is tested under different climatic conditions,and the energetic and the exergetic performance figures are obtained for the first time in literature.It is observed from the experimental tests that the results are stable and coherent as well as in good accordance with the similar attempts in literature with some cost reductions and performance improvements.Thermodynamic performance analyses indicate that the maximum energy efficiency of the system is about 21%,whereas the exergy efficiency is 1.8%.The energetic and exergetic outputs of the system are also determined to be 27 W and 3 W,respectively,which is promising.