Title: Energy and exergy analyses of a solar air heater with wire mesh-covered absorber plate

Authors: Atilla G. Devecioğlu; Vedat Oruç; Zafer Tuncer

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dicle University, 21280 Diyarbakir, Turkey ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dicle University, 21280 Diyarbakir, Turkey ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dicle University, 21280 Diyarbakir, Turkey

Abstract: Thermodynamic analysis on a novel design of solar air heater (SAH) having absorber plate covered with copper wire mesh was presented in this study. The newly-designed collector was tested for various air flow rates and tilt angles of the collector. The study was carried out for mass flow rates of 0.030 kg/s and 0.055 kg/s as well as collector tilt angles of 25° and 35°. Thermal efficiency, thermo-hydraulic efficiency and exergetic efficiency were computed by using experimental data. The results indicated that temperature at the outlet of collector, useful heat amount and pressure loss through collector were increased for higher mass flow rate and smaller collector tilt angle. Thermal efficiency of collectors was in the range of 34-82%, thermo-hydraulic efficiency was 25-66% and exergetic efficiency was 3.70-9.65% depending on the studied case. It may be suggested that greater mass flow rate and the lower tilt angle can lead to remarkable improvements in thermal and exergetic efficiencies of SAH with wire mesh on its absorber plate.

Keywords: SAH; solar air heater; wire mesh; exergy; thermal efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2018.092500

International Journal of Exergy, 2018 Vol.26 No.1/2, pp.3 - 20

Received: 23 Aug 2017
Accepted: 06 Nov 2017
Published online: 23 Jun 2018 *

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