Journal of Computational & Applied Research in Mechanical Engineering (JCARME)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kashan, Kashan 8731751167, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22061/jcarme.2025.11673.2554

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analytical investigation of five distinct configurations of single-pass flat plate solar air heaters (SAHs), incorporating fins, baffles, porous matrix, and internal air recycling. A steady-state, one-dimensional mathematical model was developed and solved analytically to evaluate both thermal and thermo-hydraulic performance under various mass flow rates and reflux ratios. The results indicate that using a porous matrix alone results in approximately 14% lower thermal efficiency compared to configurations with fins and baffles. Placing the matrix beneath the absorber plate improved thermal efficiency by about 1.5%, but reduced thermo-hydraulic efficiency by roughly 2.5% compared to placing it above. While combining enhancement techniques does not always yield superior performance, the SAH equipped with fins and baffles alone achieved the highest thermal and thermo-hydraulic efficiencies across most conditions. Furthermore, increasing solar radiation intensity and air mass flow rate enhanced useful heat gain, although higher pressure losses caused the thermo-hydraulic efficiency to decline at elevated flow rates. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the optimal integration of thermal enhancement methods in solar air heaters for improved energy performance.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Main Subjects

Solar Energy

References

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Journal of Computational & Applied Research in Mechanical Engineering (JCARME)

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 05 August 2025

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