Vol. 24, No. 2 (2025), IE25513 https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/IE25513

Effect of absorber plate material on the performance of flat plate solar air heater under free convection

 

Authors

R.C. Salmorán-Salgado, F. J. Moreno-García, J.E. Botello-Álvarez, B. Ríos-Fuentes, M. Calderón-Ramirez, M.C. Pérez-Pérez, J.M. Gutiérrez-Villalobos, L. Fausto-Castro

Abstract

Solar air heaters (SAH) are an alternative to harness solar energy. In SAH´s, a metal plate absorber retains solar radiation to transfer it to the air. The effect of the plate material: aluminum, galvanized steel and carbon steel and the number of sheets on the thermal efficiency of SAH´s was evaluated, with an experimental design 32. The analysis shows that the material and the number of sheets have no effect on the thermal efficiency of SAH´s. A phenomenological analysis indicates that interfacial heat transport between the black paint film covering the absorber plates, and the air represents the greatest resistance to heat transfer. It is proposed to use covers with better optical properties that increase the surface temperature and the intensity of free convection.

Keywords

Solar energy, absorber plate, coat of paint.

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