The solar air heater has a relatively lower convection heat transfer coefficient because of development of a laminar sub-layer beneath the absorber plate. The heat transfer coefficient can be improved by interrupting the laminar sub-layer by providing artificial ribs on the flow facing side of the absorber plate. In the present study, a novel type of discrete reverse NACA 0040 profile ribs are used for the performance enhancement of the solar air heater. Various discrete rib parameters such as angle of groove (α, range: 15°–90°), relative gap between the grooves (g/l, range: 0.143–0.333) and relative width of the groove (w/e, range: 0.667–1.667) were optimized for the Reynolds number (Re) range of 6000–18000. Among the various discrete rib parameters, the optimum values were found to be α = 30°, g/l = 0.167 and w/e = 1.333. For this combination, the maximum thermo-hydraulic performance parameter based on the numerical and experimental analysis was found to be 2.65 and 2.578 respectively at the Reynolds number of 6000. The empirical correlations were developed to predict Nusselt number and the friction factor in terms of Re, α/90, g/l and w/e and observed to deviate within ±6% of the corresponding numerical values.