A coupled numerical model for tube-on-sheet flat-plate solar liquid collectors. Analysis and validation of the heat transfer mechanisms

A 3D numerical model for flat-plate liquid solar collectors has been developed. This model is envisioned for predicting the efficiency curve of the collector, for which the different heat transfer mechanisms involved are simultaneously taken into account: solar radiation absorption, transmission and reflection; natural convection in the air cavity; heat conduction across the tube-absorber welded junction; mixed convection flow in the risers; and heat losses by convection and radiation to the ambient. To ensure the reliability of the model, the heat transfer results inside the risers and in the air cavity were contrasted with well-known experimental correlations available in the open literature.

[1]  W. Beckman,et al.  Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes , 1985 .

[2]  T. Craft,et al.  Experimental investigation of buoyant flows in inclined differentially heated cavities , 2009 .

[3]  K. Vasudeva Karanth,et al.  A Comparative CFD Study on Solar Dimple Plate Collector with Flat Plate Collector to Augment the Thermal Performance , 2012 .

[4]  Timothy Nicholas Anderson,et al.  The effect of colour on the thermal performance of building integrated solar collectors , 2010 .

[5]  A. J. de Ron,et al.  Dynamic modelling and verification of a flat-plate solar collector , 1980 .

[6]  Damir Dović,et al.  Numerically assisted analysis of flat and corrugated plate solar collectors thermal performances , 2012 .

[7]  T. Unny,et al.  Free convective heat transfer across inclined air layers , 1976 .

[8]  Kenya Standard,et al.  Thermal solar systems and components — Solar collectors — Part 2: Test methods , 2008 .

[9]  Georgios Martinopoulos,et al.  Investigation of the heat transfer behaviour of a polymer solar collector for different manifold configurations , 2014 .

[10]  Jan-Olof Dalenbäck,et al.  Thermal performance of gas-filled flat plate solar collectors , 2009 .

[11]  J. Cadafalch,et al.  A detailed numerical model for flat-plate solar thermal devices , 2009 .

[12]  Hiroshi Tanaka,et al.  Solar thermal collector augmented by flat plate booster reflector: Optimum inclination of collector and reflector , 2011 .

[13]  Simon Furbo,et al.  Flow distribution in a solar collector panel with horizontally inclined absorber strips , 2007 .

[14]  A. F. Poli︠a︡kov,et al.  Heat transfer in turbulent mixed convection , 1988 .

[15]  K. Vasudeva Karanth,et al.  Numerical Simulation of a Solar Flat Plate Collector using Discrete Transfer Radiation Model (DTRM) - A CFD Approach , 2011, WCE 2011.

[16]  John Currie,et al.  Experimental and CFD investigation of an ICSSWH at various inclinations , 2007 .

[17]  C. Yap.  Turbulent heat and momentum transfer in recirculating and impinging flows , 1987 .

[18]  A. Oliva,et al.  Three dimensional heat transfer analysis of combined conduction and radiation in honeycomb transparent insulation , 2014 .

[19]  Alberto García,et al.  Experimental study of heat transfer enhancement in a flat-plate solar water collector with wire-coil inserts , 2013 .

[20]  B. Launder,et al.  Application of the energy-dissipation model of turbulence to the calculation of flow near a spinning disc , 1974 .

[21]  William A. Beckman,et al.  Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes, 2nd ed. , 1994 .

[22]  Raymond W. Bliss,et al.  The derivations of several ``Plate-efficiency factors'' useful in the design of flat-plate solar heat collectors , 1959 .

[23]  H. Kazeminejad.  Numerical analysis of two dimensional parallel flow flat-plate solar collector , 2002 .

[24]  Luca A. Tagliafico,et al.  Dynamic thermal models and CFD analysis for flat-plate thermal solar collectors - A review , 2014 .

[25]  N. Galanis,et al.  Numerical Analysis Of Mixed Convection In Inclined Tubes With External Longitudinal Fins , 2001 .

[26]  Detailed modelling of flat plate solar thermal collectors with honeycomb-like transparent insulation , 2014 .

[27]  N. Molero Villar,et al.  Numerical 3-D heat flux simulations on flat plate solar collectors , 2009 .

[28]  Kim Tiow Ooi,et al.  Analytical models for the computation and optimization of single and double glazing flat plate solar collectors with normal and small air gap spacing , 2013 .

[29]  Rama Subba Reddy Gorla.  Finite element analysis of a flat plate solar collector , 1997 .

[30]  William A. Beckman,et al.  Transient considerations of flat-plate solar collectors , 1974 .

[31]  P. L. Betts,et al.  Experiments on turbulent natural convection in an enclosed tall cavity , 2000 .

[32]  Changying Zhao,et al.  A review of solar collectors and thermal energy storage in solar thermal applications , 2013 .

[33]  D. J. Close,et al.  A design approach for solar processes , 1967 .

[34]  Marc A. Rosen,et al.  Thermal performance of integrated collector storage solar water heater with corrugated absorber surface , 2010 .

[35]  Helena Persson,et al.  A total cost perspective on use of polymeric materials in solar collectors – Importance of environmental performance on suitability , 2014 .

[36]  Georgios Martinopoulos,et al.  CFD modeling of a polymer solar collector , 2010 .

[37]  Ehab AlShamaileh,et al.  Testing of a new solar coating for solar water heating applications , 2010 .

[38]  Mohamed Selmi,et al.  Validation of CFD simulation for flat plate solar energy collector , 2008 .