Abstract
In this study, an assessment based on energy, exergy, economic, and environmental approaches on a double-pass (DP) solar air heater (SAH) having pin finned absorber at different air mass ratios up and down the absorber is investigated experimentally. Four air mass ratios are considered: (i) all the air mass flow passes up the absorber and returns to pass down the absorber (DP), (ii) 2/3 of the airflow passes up the absorber and returns to mix with the remainder of air to pass down the absorber (2/3 DP), (iii) the same as (ii) but 1/3 of the air passes up the absorber (1/3 DP), and (iv) all the air mass passes only down the absorber (single pass, SP). For all mass ratios, the performance of pin finned SAH (P_SAH) is compared with that of flat SAH (F_SAH). The results indicated that the air temperature rise and energy and exergy efficiencies of P_SAH are highly greater than those of F_SAH. The highest average thermal efficiency of F_SAH is 56.7% obtained at DP flow condition, whereas the highest value of P_SAH is 65.21% obtained at 2/3 DP with an increase of 17.6% compared with F_SAH. Also, P_SAH has higher average exergy efficiency of about 34.7% compared to F_SAH. Furthermore, P_SAH achieves energy payback time (EPBT) lower than that of F_SAH, while P_SAH has higher embodied energy. The findings indicated that F_SAH at SP airflow pattern has the maximum energy cost (0.0427 $/kWh), whereas P_SAH at 2/3 DP airflow pattern achieves the minimum energy cost (0.037 $/kWh). Finally, the proposed P_SAH system appears to be more viable from exergoeconomic and enviroeconomic approaches compared to F_SAH.
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Abbreviations
- A :
-
Inlet port cross-sectional area (m2)
- C p :
-
Specific heat, J/kg K
- E in :
-
Embodied energy in (kW h)
- EPBTen :
-
Energy payback time based on energy (years)
- EPBTex :
-
Energy payback time based on exergy (years)
- Enout :
-
Overall energy outlet (W)
- \( \dot{E}{x}_{\mathrm{in}} \) :
-
Exergy inlet (W)
- \( \dot{E}{x}_{\mathrm{out}} \) :
-
Exergy outlet (W)
- \( \dot{E}{x}_{\mathrm{heat}} \) :
-
Exergy of heat (W)
- \( \dot{E}{x}_{\mathrm{work}} \) :
-
Exergy of work (W)
- \( \dot{E}{x}_{\mathrm{mass},\mathrm{in}} \) :
-
Exergy of inlet mass (W)
- \( \dot{E}{x}_{\mathrm{mass},\mathrm{out}} \) :
-
Exergy of outlet mass (W)
- \( \dot{E}{x}_{\mathrm{dest}} \) :
-
Exergy destruction (W)
- h :
-
Specific enthalpy (J/kg K)
- I :
-
Incident solar radiation (W/m2)
- \( \dot{m} \) :
-
Mass flow rate (kg/s)
- n :
-
Day of the year
- p :
-
Pressure (pa)
- R :
-
Gas constant (J/mol K)
- R g,ex :
-
Exergoeconomic parameter (kWh/$)
- S :
-
entropy (J/K)
- T :
-
Temperature (°C)
- Q :
-
Energy rate (J/s)
- YC:
-
Annual cost ($)
- Z CO2 :
-
Enviroeconomic parameter ($)
- z CO2 :
-
International carbon price ($)
- ρ:
-
Density (kg/m3)
- σ :
-
Stefan Boltzmann constant (W/m2 K4)
- ε :
-
Emissivity
- ρ :
-
Reflectance
- η :
-
Efficiency
- ϕCO2 :
-
Environmental parameter (ton CO2)
- τ :
-
Transmissivity
- α :
-
Absorptivity
- ψ :
-
Specific exergy (J/kg)
- ∆s :
-
Entropy change (J/K)
- AMFR:
-
Air mass flow rate
- CFD:
-
Computational fluid dynamic
- DP:
-
Double pass
- F_SAH:
-
Flat solar air heater
- FYC:
-
First yearly cost
- GRF:
-
Global recovery factor
- MFR:
-
Mass flow rate
- PCM:
-
Phase change material
- P_SAH:
-
Pin fins solar air heater
- SAH:
-
Solar air heater
- SP:
-
Single pass
- SSF:
-
Sinking fund factor
- YSV:
-
Yearly salvage value
- a:
-
Ambient
- en:
-
Energy
- ex:
-
Exergy
- f:
-
Fluid
- in:
-
Inlet
- out:
-
Outlet
- s:
-
Sun
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Saleh Abo-Elfadl: Carried out experimental work and measurements, wrote the draft paper, and revised the manuscript.
Mohamed S. Yousef: Wrote the draft paper and analysis results, prepared the data, revised the manuscript, and answered reviewers’ comments.
Hamdy Hassan: Carried out experimental work and measurements, wrote the draft paper and analysis results, prepared the data, revised the manuscript, prepared the revised version, and answered reviewers’ comments.
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Abo-Elfadl, S., Yousef, M.S. & Hassan, H. Assessment of double-pass pin finned solar air heater at different air mass ratios via energy, exergy, economic, and environmental (4E) approaches. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 13776–13789 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11628-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11628-9