Performance Comparison of Solar Air Heater with Extended Surfaces and Iron Filling

Abstract

The thermal performance of a solar air heater (SAH) is enhanced by producing air turbulence. The air turbulence is created by using either extended surface or iron filing between the black colour absorber plate and glass of the SAH. In this article, the thermal performance of a SAH in the case of without fins and with fins at a different location is compared with the SAH using an iron filling. The value of the overall heat loss coefficient in the case of iron filling is 2.1 W/m2K. The average thermal efficiency of the iron filling condition is 65.14%. The additional arrangement to increase the heat transfer also increases the pressure drop which leads to higher power consumption. Results show the thermal efficiency of SAH using iron filling is found best followed by fin arrangement above, below the absorber plate, and without fin.