Performance analysis for flat plate collector with and without porous media

BAA Yousef; NM Adam

Alternative and Renewable Energy Laboratory, Institute of Advanced Technology Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

The present work involves a theoretical study to investigate the effect of mass flow rate, flow channel depth and collector length on the system thermal performance and pressure drop through the collector with and without porous medium. The solution procedure is performed for flat plate collector in single and double flow mode. The analysis of the results at the same configuration and parameters shows that the system thermal efficiency increases by 10-12% in double flow mode than single flow due to the increased of heat removal, and increase by 8% after using porous medium in the lower channel as a result of the increase of heat transfer area. At the same time the pressure drop will be increased. All collectors show improved efficiency obtained when the collector operates at relatively high flow rates, and at relatively low collector temperature rise since the collector losses will be less in low temperature difference.

Keywords: Single and double flow solar air heater; porous medium; thermal performance; pressure drop; flow channel depth

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Received 31 March 2008
Revised 7 October 2008