Effect of extended geometry filled with and without phase change material on the thermal performance of solar air heater

摘要

The goal of this research is to conduct an experimental investigation of a solar air heater (SAH) on four different configurations of the two different absorber plates by using phase change material (PCM). Modified models of SAHs with PCM are tested under the climatic conditions of Moradabad city (latitude-28 degrees 50'N and Longitude-78 degrees 47'E), India. Parameters affecting thermal performance of SAH are estimated and studied by conducting experiments on flat plate type absorber and absorber with small cylindrical tubes, with and without PCM. Thermal performance parameters of the modified systems are analyzed for varying mass flow rates such as; 0.01 kg/s, 0.02 kg/s and 0.03 kg/s and varying mass of the tested PCM. Experimental findings showed that the maximum temperature difference between the ambient air and the exhaust air temperature of SAH with PCM filled small cylindrical tubes is about 2 degrees C to 9 degrees C in comparison of SAH with flat plate absorber on forced convection. Configuration 4 is observed the optimum configuration among the all tested configurations which provided the exhaust temperature about 48 degrees C for a lengthy duration about 9.8 h/day minimum with 66% daily efficiency which is quite suitable for space heating and agricultural drying operations.