Efficiency Improvements of Solar Collectors by Turbulence Promoters

Abstract

Due to their sustainability and availability, solar thermal collectors are frequently employed to heat homes. This technique has the advantage of being non-polluting and efficient. The poor thermal efficiency of classic solar air heaters is caused by the low convective heat transfer coefficient between the absorber plate and the circulating fluid. The aim of this research is to determine the optimal configuration of flow disruptors - including their shape, size and distribution - in order to streamline the efficiency of the solar collector while maintaining affordable costs.