Heat transfer and energy analysis of a solar air collector with smooth plate

¹ Faculty of Technology, Mechanical Department, University of Biskra 07000, Algeria
² Faculty of Technology, Mechanical Laboratory, University of Biskra 07000, Algeria

^a e-mail: fouedmeca@hotmail.fr

Received: 5 September 2013
Revised: 11 October 2013
Accepted: 19 February 2014
Published online: 1 April 2014

Abstract

The heat transfer and thermal performance of a single pass solar air heater a smooth plate was investigated experimentally. In the present paper, energy and heat transfer analysis of a solar air collector with smooth plate, this technique is used to determine the optimal thermal performance of flat plate solar air heater by considering the different system and operating parameters to obtain maximum thermal performance. Thermal performance is obtained for different mass flow rate varying in the array 0.0108–0.0202 kg/s with five values, solar intensity; tilt angle and ambient temperature. We discuss the thermal behavior of this type of collector with new design and with my proper construction. An experimental study was carried out on a prototype installed on the experimental tests platform within the University of Biskra in the Algeria. The effects of air mass flow rate, emissivity of channel plates and wind heat transfer coefficient on the accuracy of the criterion are also investigated.