Applied Energy 14 (1983) 161-173

Effect of Sucking the Hot Fluid Film on the Performance of Flat Plate Solar Energy Collectors

M. M. Sorour and M. A. Hassab

Mechanical Engineering Department, Alexandria Alexandria (Egypt)

University,

SUMMARY An hydrodynamically developed but thermally developing laminar channelflow is considered. The flow prevails between an upper rigid plate and a lower porous heated plate, as is encountered in a new form of flat plate solar energy collector. Velocity and temperature profiles were computed in terms of the wall Reynolds number, Rew, at different axial locations, Jor various.fluids. The results indicate that the convective losses at the upper wall, expressed by the Nusselt number, significantly decrease as a result of suction. Furthermore, the variation with Prandtl number was Jound to be negligible.

NOMENCLATURE C d Coefficient as given in eqn. (20). Channel thickness. Dimensionless transverse velocity, V/Vw, and its first derivative, respectively. Upper wall mean heat transfer coefficient. Thermal conductivity. Length of the channel. Upper wall mean Nusselt number, A --X-A where
161

j~J"
h k l Nu

A =P~e~ ln(1 - PewX )

Applied Energy 0306-2619/83/$03-00 ~) Applied Science Publishers Ltd, England,

1983. Printed in Great Britain

162

M. M. Sorour, M. A. Hassab

Pressure. Peclet number (Uod/ct). Wall Peclet number (Vwd/~). Prandtl number (v/a). Reynolds number (U0d/v). R e w Wall Reynolds number (Vwd/v). Constant heat flux. qo T Temperature. To Ambient temperature. /d, U Velocity components in the axial and transverse directions, respectively. Average air velocity at inlet section. Uo Cross flow velocity approaching the lower wall. Co-ordinates with x in the axial direction and y normal to the X, y plates. X = x/d. Pe. Y = y/d. Density. P Thermal diffusivity. Eigenvalues defined in eqn. (21). Dimensionless temperature, = T - To/(qod/k ). 0 Developing dimensionless temperature. Od Fully developed dimensionless temperature. O~ Kinematic viscosity. v P Pe Pew Pr Re dX 1 - PewX" Stream function.
632 632

= fl ~

V2

= Laplacian operator, ~ 63x2 4- 63y2-

INTRODUCTION There are two main types of solar collector--solar air heaters (SAH) and solar liquid heaters (SLH). 1-3 The SAH's are the most logical choice when the material to be heated is itself air, and this occurs in residential heating and agricultural drying. Although SAH's have advantages over

Effect of suction on the performance of solar energy collectors

163

solar liquid heaters, they have lower efficiencies due to the lower thermal conductivity of air. In general, the thermal performances of the fiat plate collectors are improved by suppressing the heat loss from the collector to the surroundings and/or enhancing the heat transfer from the absorber to the working fluid. Solar collector performance has been the subject of many investigations; however, most of these were of crude engineering interest and were not based on heat transfer analysis. It is to be noted that although thermal radiation losses represent the major heat losses, these can be reduced by placing a selective coating either on the absorber or on the cover plate. 4 On the other hand, the convective losses from the upper plate cannot be easily reduced although successful attempts were made in that direction. From these attempts, a two-pass model SAH achieved a 10-15 per cent improvement over the single-pass model. 5 The two-pass model passes the air through the space between the covers and then over the absorber plate, but is not practical for high pressures. Another attempt to inhibit convective losses 6- 9 involved an SAH with more than one entrance to prevent fully developed thermal boundary layers occurring, and consequently lower heat transfer coefficients. Another way of reducing the convective losses was by placing a vertical cellular structure between the upper transparent cover and the lower horizontal absorber plate. ~o-~3 However, the SAH efficiency is strongly influenced by the thickness and physical properties of the honeycomb walls since both conduction losses and solar transmittance depend on these factors. Furthermore, for inclined SAH's the honeycomb devices would be useless for convection suppression. 11 Matrix type SAH's have been used by many investigators. ~4-16 The matrix is an absorbing surface that takes the form of a very porous material such as darkened steel wool or aluminium foils which are sufficiently open that solar radiation is absorbed throughout the depth of the matrix and not just at the top surface. There are many arrangements for the matrix type collector, but in general they have higher thermal performances than the plate type although they incur high pressure losses. The purpose of this investigation is to theoretically study the basic concept of a channel flow of fluid between two parallel plates with a lower isothermally heated porous wall through which fluid is sucked in a direction perpendicular to the main flow. This study is applicable to channel liquid heaters or solar air heaters with selective coatings.

164

M. M. Sorour, M. A. Hassab

ANALYSIS A schematic diagram of the problem is presented in Fig. 1. A fluid of density, p, kinematic viscosity, v, thermal conductivity, k, and thermal diffusivity, e, is flowing between two horizontal walls. The upper plate, representing the upper transparent cover, is assumed to be at a constant temperature, To, equal to the inlet temperature of the fluid. The lower

I_ T

:To

/---T:4 U
V W

Fig. 1. Schematicdiagram of the considered system. wall, on the other hand, representing the black absorber plate, is subjected to a prescribed heat flux. The lower plate is also perforated such that the fluid, which is considered transparent, is sucked at a uniform velocity, Vw, from this wall. It is further assumed that, for gases, a selective coating absorber is used and hence radiation losses are not considered in this analysis. In addition, low grade heating (e.g. as obtained from solar energy) requires very small flow rates in the heater in order to have an appreciable temperature rise. Consequently, the hydrodynamic developing section is very small compared with the length of the channel, and so can be neglected. According to the above-mentioned assumptions the equations governing the motion of a channel flow of width, d, in the steady state can be expressed as follows: c~u Ov (1) 0x 8u 8u 1 8P
p 8x

U ~ x + V Sy ~v 8v U ~x + V ~3 y 8T 8T

"~ yV2u

(2) (3)

1 8P p ~? + vV2v Y

U~x'k-V~yy =0cV2T

(4)

Effect of suction on the performance of solar energy collectors

165

T h e pertinent boundary conditions are: u=0 y =0, d

v= -Vw
v =0 8T -k~y-y=qo

y=O
y =d y=0

T= T o T= T o

y=d
x=O,y>O

(5)

Defining a stream function, p, such that:

&o
td--

8~o
V=----

8y

8x

(6) (7)

~p(x,y) = (d/-7 o - V w x ) f ' ( Y )

where: Y =

y/d.
u= V~x '(Y)

From eqns (6) and (7), one obtains:

and:
V = Vwf(Y )
(8)

Substituting from eqn. (8) into eqns (1) to (3) and eliminating the pressure between eqns (2) and (3) by using cross differentiation leads to:
f'"' + R e w ( f ' f " - i f ' " ) = 0
(9)

subjected to the following boundary conditions:

f(O) + 1 = f ' ( O ) ----f(1) = f ' ( 1 ) -- 0 w h e r e Rew = Vwd/v. (10)

Define the dimensionless parameters:

Pe = Ud p e w _ V,,,d

~
=

0 - T - TO qod/k

(11 )

fi

dX
1 - PewX

X = (x/d)/Pe

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M. M. Sorour, M. A. Hassab

Substituting from eqn. (11) into eqn. (4) we obtain the energy equation as: f , c30 ~0 ~20 ~-~ + Pewf OY - ~y2 which is subject to the following boundary conditions: 0=0 00 0~= - 1 0=0 at 4 = 0 , Y > 0 at Y = O at Y = I (13) (12)

The solution of 0 is taken in the form:

0(3, Y) = O,(Y) + 0~(4, Y)

(14)

where O, is the fully developed temperature and 0d is the excess temperature in the developing region. Substitution from eqn. (14) into the system of eqns (12) and (13) leads to the following energy equations with their boundary conditions in the fully developed and developing regions, respectively:

dOr d20r Pew/~ -~y~

dOt dYOr = 0 and 1 at Y = 0 at Y = 1

(15)

(16)

f ' t30d

c30~ (~20 d + Pewf ~ - y2

at 4 = 0 , Y > 0
at Y = 0

(17)

Od=--Or
~30~ _ 0

~Y Od = 0

at Y = 1

(18)

Solution of the temperature for the fully developed region is given as:

Eexp{,ew

d,

Effect of suction on the performance of solar energy collectors

167

To solve eqn. (17), which is linear, one suggests the series solution:

Oa(~,y)=I2 C, exp{_fl~}Om(y)llexp {~w f~f, dy}l

m=l

(20)

Substituting from eqn. (20) into eqn. (17) we obtain the following eigenvalue problem:
d20., dY 2 + dO dy=0

fl2f,+ few f, 2 ~
at Y = 0

Pew 4 f2

0,.=0

(21)

0,.=0

at Y = I

(22)

The system of eqns (21) and (22) is solved numerically using the implicit finite difference method, in order to determine the eigenvalues, tim, as well as the eigenvectors, 0m:

C~= ;I[exp{-~WF(y)}IO~[Of(Y)][F(fl~'Y)]dY I~ If(tim,Y)I[O~(Y)]dY

where"

F(Y) = f dy

ew F(fl,.,y)=( fl2f, +~fP2

m=l

;o

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This problem differs from previously studied suction or injection problems in ducts and tubes Iv'is by being asymmetric to the walls. Consequently, different outcomes arise from this investigation and these could be applicable to solar heater designs. First, the effect of suction on the velocity profile is presented in Fig. 2. It can be seen that when uniform perpendicular suction is applied on one wall in a channel flow, the major

168
2.0~

M. M. Sorour, M. A. Hassab

1.6

1.2

0.8

~Re ~Rew /-~Re ~Rew

w = 0 = 60 w = 9.0 =1'20

0.4

O[ 0

02

04

06

0.~

1.0

1.2

GAP WIDTH

Fig. 2.

Velocity profile at different Reynolds numbers.

flow direction deviates from the Poiseuille parabolic velocity profile. This profile is much steeper near the porous wall and less steep near the rigid wall. Thus, the wall shear stress increases at the lower porous wall and decreases at the upper wall with suction. It is to be noted that previous studies involving symmetric suction indicated steepness in the velocity profile at both walls and flatter velocity gradients in the central part of the channel. Consequently, less pressure drop occurred in the direction of the main flow than in a solid wall channel under the same conditions. The temperature profiles for various Reynolds numbers for Pr--0.72 at different thermally developing sections are presented in Fig. 3. The maximum wall Reynolds number corresponding to no flow at the exit section is decreased as the Graetz number, X, increases. However, it can be

Effect of suction on the performance of solar energy collectors

169

seen that suction tends to cool the fluid in the channel to a value which is proportional to the wall Reynolds number. This cooling is due to the penetration of the hot layer through the porous wall and the associated separation of the hot fluid film from the bulk of the fluid. Furthermore, it is observable that the temperature gradient near the upper wall will decrease with suction at all axial positions. The upper wall Nusselt number which is an indication of the convective heat losses from the channel flow is:
Nuhd k A - - x-A

where:
1

A = P~e,., In {1 - PewX } and is shown in Fig. 4. Although the Nusselt number decreases with
n~n 05

O4
G)

E 03 E

g
c

g
E ~5
1)

~o2

01

o o 0.2 04 06 0.8 GAP DISTANCE ~Y 14) 0 02 04 06 08 GAP DISTANCE~Y lO

Fig. 3(a), (b), (c) and (d).

Temperature profiles at different Reynolds numbers.

170

M. M. Sorour, M. A. Hassab

I ....
06

c ....

x :0,3

0-5
D

~ o4

9 O3 c~

c5 0.2

0-1

0-2

04

06

0'8

10

02

04

06

O B

1.0

GAP DISTANCE ,Y

GAP DISTANCE j Y

Fig. 3---conM.
O~
O.8

~ o7
z ~ 0.6 0.5

~ 0-4
z O3 =0.4

~ 02
P~ 0.1 ~
0 .

"
0

.
~

.
,7

~
]

~
,

=0.2
, x=0.1

[ ~ I ,-

~3 1'0 1'1

Reynolds

Number, Re w

Fig. 4.

Heat losses as a function o f suction.

Effect of suction on the performance of solar energy collectors

171

suction for all axial sections, this effect is limited for small axial distances but is pronounced for long channel distances. This is due to the fact that for long channels the temperature profile achieves its fully developed pattern but for small channels the flow is thermally developing and thus convective losses are limited. Furthermore, over the range of Prandtl numbers studied, 0.72 < Pr < 20, the Peclet number, Pew, can correlate all the computed results for various Reynolds numbers. Thus, equal values of Peclet number but different Prandtl number can correspond to the same Nusselt number. The effect of suction on the heat transfer between two horizontal plates can be explained by the following mechanisms. (1) Suction decreases the thermal boundary layer thickness and prevents fully developed temperature profiles being formed, thus eliminating an appreciable part of the heat loss which would otherwise occur from the upper wall. (2) Suction increases the axial convection of the heated fluid film compared with both normal convection and axial convection of the upper wall fluid layer. This is of interest in air heater designs because the lower thermal efficiency associated with these types of heater is due to the loss of heat in the thermally fully developed flow through the upper glass cover. Three known types of solar air heater, together with a proposed design, are shown schematically in Fig. 5. The proposed SAH is a combination of these types but differs in that the flow in the lower channel is sucked from the upper channel. Suction of the hot air will increase the thermal performance by decreasing the heat losses. For the proposed channel type solar air heaters, suction does not have to be excessive because the main
(a) A~r

r~T C BA
Air Air

(b) ~

~T C / B A

(c)

~T C /---BA ~

(d) Main air flow

Air
.Zl/////// ////III

7T C BA i~;~ ~

Sue~<ed a~r
flOW

Fig. 5.

Various arrangements of air heaters. T C - - t o p cover; BA--black absorber.

172

M. M. Sorour, M. A. Hassab

purpose is to prevent fully developed thermal b o u n d a r y layers occurring. Therefore, no large pressure losses ensue as in the matrix type solar air heaters.

CONCLUSIONS A theoretical study was conducted of the channel flow between a lower porous plate (through which fluid flowing in the duct was sucked) and an upper solid wall. The lower b o u n d a r y was the source of heat as in the case of the black absorber plate of a solar collector, and the upper wall was maintained at a specified temperature. This study indicated that this solar heater possesses an improved efficiency compared with other plate type SHs, although the practical feasibility of this heater has not been studied in this investigation.

REFERENCES 1. F. F. Simon, Flat-plate solar collector performance evaluation with a solar simulator and performance prediction, Journal of Solar Energy, 18(5) (1976), pp. 451-66. 2. H. Tabor, Testing of solar collectors, Solar Energy, 20 (1978), pp. 293-303. 3. K. Yass and H. B. Curtis, Low cost, air mass solar simulator, Lewis Research Center, NASA TMX 3059, 1973. 4. R.D. Goodman and A.G. Menke, Effect of cover plate treatment on efficiency of solar collectors, Solar Energy, 17(4) (1975), pp. 207-11. 5. S. Satcunanathan and S. Deonarine, A two-pass solar air heater, Solar Energy, 15(1) (1973), pp. 41-9. 6. A. L. London and R. K. Shah, Offset rectangular plate fin surfaces Heat transfer and flow friction characteristics, Journal of Engineering and Power, Trans. A S M E (1968), pp. 218-28. 7. A. R. Wieting, Empirical correlation for heat transfer and flow friction characteristics of rectangular offset-fin plate-fin heat exchangers, Journal of Heat Transfer, 97 (1975), pp. 488-90. 8. E. M. Sparrow, B. R. Baliga and S. V. Patankar, Heat transfer and fluid flow analysis of interrupted-wall channels, with application to heat exchangers, Journal of Heat Transfer, 99 (1977), pp. 4-11. 9. N. Cur and E. M. Sparrow, Experiments on heat transfer and pressure drop for a pair of colinear interrupted plates aligned with the flow, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 21 (1978), pp. 1069-80. 10. K. G. T. Hollands, Honeycomb devices in flat plate solar collectors, Solar Energy, 9 (1965), pp. 159-64.

Effect of suction on the performance of solar energy collectors

173

11. W. M. S. Charters and L. F. Peterson, Free convection suppression using honeycomb cellular materials, Solar Energy, 13 (1972), pp. 353 61. 12. H. Buchberg, D. K. Edwards and O. A. Lalude. Design considerations for cellular solar collectors, Am. Soc. Mech. Engrs. Paper 68-WA/Sob-3.1970. 13. H. Buchberg, O. A. Lalude and D. K. Edwards, Performance characteristics of rectangular honeycomb solar-thermal converters, Solar Energy, 13 (1971), pp. 193 221. 14. L.S. Tong and A. L. London, Heat transfer and flow friction characteristics of woven-screen and crossed-rod matrices, Trans ASME, 79 (1957), pp. 1158-70. 15. J. P. Chiou, M. M. E1-Wakil and J. A. Duffle, A slit and expanded aluminium foil matrix solar collector, Solar Energy (2) (1965), pp. 73-80. 16. J. P. Chio and M. M. E1-Wakil, Heat transfer and flow characteristics of porous matrices with radiation as a heat source, Journal of Heat TransJer, Trans ASME, 88 (1966), pp. 69-76. 17. Berman, Abraham S., Laminar flow in channels with porous walls, Journal of Applied Physics, 24(9) (1957), pp. 1232-957. 18. R. M. Terrill, Heat transfer in laminar flow between parallel porous plates, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 8 (1965), pp. 1491-7.