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Effect of heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics on the performance analysis of an artificially roughened solar air heater

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Abstract

In the present work, performance analysis of solar air heaters comprised of winglet type roughness element embedded on the surface plate has been presented using liquid crystal thermography (LCT) approach to evaluate the collector heat transfer enhancement as well as the pressure drop characteristics across the rectangular test section. The important factors that directly affect heat transfer enhancement value and the pressure characteristics are based on the present case of roughened surface which is compared with the smooth surface under a similar flowing condition. The non-dimensional parameters for the roughness element considered as relative roughness pitch (P/e) of 5–12, attack angle (alpha) values of 30°–75°, relative roughness width(W/w) of 3–7, and Reynolds number (Re) range between 3000 – 22,000 in terms of different values of air mass flow rate (m) has also been evaluated. The following values of parametric condition and its effect on Nusselt number, friction factor, and the pressure drop characteristics across the given test section were analyzed. Thus, its optimum improved value due to roughened surface has been compared with the smooth surface. However, the higher value of pressure drop across the test section is also compared to that of the smooth one under the given condition.

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Abbreviations

Ac :

Collector surface area, m2

Cd :

Coefficient of discharge

Cp :

Air specific heat, J/kg K

Dh :

Duct hydraulic diameter, m

e:

Height of the rib, m

f r :

Roughened friction factor

H:

Depth of duct, m

HSI:

Hue, saturation and intensity

h:

Heat transfer coefficient, W/m2 K

k:

Thermal conductivity of air, W/m K

LCT:

Liquid crystal thermography

L:

Absorber plate length, m

m :

Mass flowrate, kg/s

Nu:

Nusselt number

Patm :

Atmospheric pressure

Pr:

Prandtl number

P/e:

Relative roughness pitch

Q:

Heat transfer rate, W

Re:

Reynolds number

RGB:

Red, green and blue

TLC:

Thermo-chromic liquid crystal

Ta :

Ambient temperature, oC

Tmf :

Mean bulk temperature of air, oC

Ti :

Air temperature (Inlet), oC

To :

Air temperature (out let), oC

V :

Velocity of air along the duct, m/s

w:

Ribwidth, m

W:

Width of the channel, m

W/w :

Relative roughness width

∆Pd :

Test section pressure drop, Pa

α:

Rib attack angle

ν:

Kinematic viscosity of air

μ:

Dynamic viscosity of fluid

ρ:

Density of air

r:

roughened surface

s:

smooth surface

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Acknowledgements

The authors thankfully appreciated SERB, DST, Govt. of India for allowing financial support in instigating the experimental based research work in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, NIT Durgapur, India, Ref. no SERB-DST Grant: SB/EMEQ-314/2013, dated: 08/07/2013.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sri Eshwar College of Engineering, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641202, India

    Amit Kumar

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, NIT Durgapur, West Bangal, India

    Apurba Layek

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Correspondence to Amit Kumar.

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Kumar, A., Layek, A. Effect of heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics on the performance analysis of an artificially roughened solar air heater. Heat Mass Transfer 59, 891–907 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-022-03296-x

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