Numerical study of spacing and alternation effects of parietal heat sources on natural convection flow in a DSF-channel: application to BIPV

Abstract

In order to integrate PV panels in building double-skin facades, many parameters must be taken into account, such as the spacing between PV panels and their installation modes (alternations). The present work is situated within these latter perspectives. This paper presents a numerical study concerning a double skin laminar flow in a vertical DSF-channel asymmetrically heated under realistic environmental conditions. Finite volume based commercial software Ansys Fluent is used to solve the governing equations. Our interest for this work is to study: (i) the influence of the vertical spacing (0 < S < A) between two identical heat sources (PV panels) on a facade, (ii) the influence of the alternation of numerous heat sources on the two channel facades, on the flow dynamics and heat transfer. The current numerical results were compared to those that were found experimentally with a very good agreement between them. They showed that the flow characteristics inside the DSF-channel strongly depend on the spacing between the two heat sources. In addition, the alternation of heat sources with adiabatic zones allows a significant modification of the flow structure. The analysis of the Nusselt number and parietal temperature profiles clearly indicates that the convective heat transfer is improved with increasing heat source spacing. Velocity profiles at the entrance, middle and the exit of the channel are also analyzed and discussed.