Experimental and Numerical Investigation of a Solar Air Heater Having Absorber Plate Roughened by Using Multiple V-Ribs With Gaps

The thermal performance of a solar air heater is poor because of low heat transfer coefficient between heated absorber plate and flowing air. To achieve more heat transfer it is desired to produce turbulence in the fluid flow zone, but excessive turbulence requires more pumping power and results in friction losses. V shape roughness produces more heat transfer by generating two secondary flow cells and with increase in number of ribs more secondary flows can be found. By providing gaps, secondary flow releases and accelerate the main flow hence better heat transfer occurs. The present study is done for multiple V-shaped ribs with gaps type roughness geometry with an additional influencing parameter number of gaps (Ng) for estimation of maximum heat transfer. 

Worked as the lead investigator under the supervision of Dr. Varun Goel

Publications:

Kashyap, A.S., Kumar, R., Singh, P. and Goel, V., 2021. Solar air heater having multiple V-ribs with Multiple-Symmetric gaps as roughness elements on Absorber-Plate: A parametric study. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 48, p.101559.

Kashyap, A.S., and Goel, V., 2017. Effect of roughness element on heat transfer characteristics in a solar air heater. National Conference on “Recent Trends in Chemical Sciences and Engineering 2017", NIT Hamirpur.