Performance Analysis of Solar Collector with Inline and Perforated W Shape RIB Roughened Absorber Plate

Solar air heater is one of the commonly used thermal collection equipment because it is easy to use and maintain. In general, for using smooth surface or plane plate of solar air heater, the energy saving in the form of thermal performance is quite low due to low convective heat transfer coefficient. It can be enhanced by employing passive methods in the form of artificial irregularity on the absorber plate of solar air heaters. This paper presents results of a study of the performance of solar air heaters with W-shaped inline perforated fin as roughness on the air flow side of the absorber plate. Investigations have been carried out by testing the collector under clear sky with available solar radiations intensity with variation in mass flow rate of air passing through collector ranging from 0.01484 kg/sec to 0.01726 kg/sec for three different absorber plates. Collector efficiency has been evaluated for plane absorber plate and compared with the absorber plate having inline W shape perforated rib roughened absorber plate. It is found that instantaneous collector efficiency for staggered W shape perforated fin roughened absorber plate solar collector is 8 % higher as compared with plane absorber plate solar collector for mass flow rate of 0.01726 kg/sec W shape rib roughened absorber plate collector. Enhancement in the collector efficiency is due to the increase in the turbulence of the air for staggered W shape absorber plate solar collector. The instantaneous collector efficiency increases with increase in intensity of solar radiation and mass flow rate of air passing through the collector. The results of the study are presented in the form of plots to show the effect of ambient, design and operating conditions collector efficiency.