Abstract
In this work, thermal performance of PCM embedded parallel flow solar air heater employing differential air flow arrangements is predicted using transient computational iterative solution procedure. The present iterative approach is capable of predicting transient temperatures of the complete collector design for 24 h working cycle including sunshine and nocturnal hours. Finite volume method is used employing explicit time marching scheme in a MATLAB code to solve the discretized transient governing differential equations. First Order Upwind advection scheme is applied to predict the air temperatures. Obtained results revealed all possibilities of obtaining significant thermal energy storage in PCM, instant and long thermal backups, and heat gain of air as a function of time of the day and variable air flow rate arrangements. The maximum thermal efficiency of about 63% is obtained at the total mass flow rate of 0.05 kg/s. In addition, air flow rate conditions for the present design are revealed that can provide the outlet air temperature ≥303 K during nocturnal hours. An off sunshine situation is presented that depicts the scope of obtaining the possible instant thermal energy backup. The effect of PCM unit thickness on thermal performance of the collector is also considered in the present work.
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