Numerical Investigation for Turbulent Flow through a Solar Air Heater Channel with a Different Curved Baffles Geometry and Position

Abstract

The present paper numerically investigates the turbulent flow and heat transfer improvement in the solar air heater duct. Ansys Fluent software is used to solve the 3-dimensional turbulence models of three different curved baffles geometry attached inside the duct and examined to enhance the heat transfer between the heated absorber surface and the air passing in two directions for Reynolds number (Re) ranged between 8000 to 20000. The average Nussle number (Nu), the friction factor (f), and the performance Factor (P.F) are calculated to clarify the performance of the models.Results show that the geometry design and position of the curved baffle have a significant effect in generating and strengthening the vortices inside the duct leading to enhance heat transfer. Besides that, the contrariwise position baffle that extending in height at the ends and shrinking in the middle of geometry (OC3) gives a clear enhancement as compared with other models. The maximum P.F of the OC3 baffle model ranged between (2.16 to 1.6).