Vol. 24, No. 2 (2025), IE25411 https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/IE25411

Numerical and experimental study of air heating solar collector constructed of aluminum tube pipes

 

Authors

A. López-López, I.A. García-Montalvo, S. Sandoval-Torres, E. Hernández-Bautista

Abstract

A model was developed to simulate an air heating solar collector. A 3D geometry was proposed, consisting of nine rectangular aluminum tubes and a rectangular space between the glass cover (GC) where air flows. The spatial distribution of air velocity was simulated using a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes κ-ε model, in steady state, to calculate the heat transfer coefficients. The energy balances in transient state were performed in the GC, aluminum absorber plate (AP) and in the fluid. The energy balance considers the heat transfer in the fluid by convection, conduction and surface radiation between the AP-GC. The energy balance in the AP used a lumped analysis and considered the heat loss due to convection between the AP and fluid and heat source due to solar radiation considering transmissivity and absorptivity. The model was used to simulate different inlet velocities. The transfer coefficients in the tubes were higher and therefore the temperature, compared to the space between GC and AP. Besides, it was found that there is an increase in outlet temperature with increasing air velocity.

Keywords

Heat transfer coefficient; Interior no slip condition; Transient analysis; Turbulent flow; Surface to surface radiation.

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