Influence of Adding Rectangular Fins on the Performances of a Thermal Solar Air Plane Collector
Boukaré Ouedraogo *
Department of Physics, Laboratory of Renewable Thermal Energies (LETRE), Faculty of Exact and Applied Sciences: UFR-SEA, University of Ouagadougou, P.O.Box: 03 - 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Boureima Dianda
Department of Energy, Applied Sciences and Technologies Research Institute- IRSAT/CNRST Ouagadougou 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Kalifa Palm
Department of Energy, Applied Sciences and Technologies Research Institute- IRSAT/CNRST Ouagadougou 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Dieudonné Joseph Bahiebo
Department of Physics, Laboratory of Renewable Thermal Energies (LETRE), Faculty of Exact and Applied Sciences: UFR-SEA, University of Ouagadougou, P.O.Box: 03 - 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Low heat-air exchange in a dynamic vein of the solar collector still remains one of the major issues to solve in the use of thermal solar energy. These exchanges do not enable to achieve better performance or increased energy efficiency with these Systems. Instead, the fitting of fins on the absorber of the collector significantly improves heat transfer. So, the objective of our study is to assess the performance of a flat plate collector equipped with rectangular fins in natural and forced convections. In a theoretical study, a program to simulate the thermal performance of the transitory regime collector was established using MATLAB 7.8.0 calculation software. Regarding the experimental part, a set of measurements of solar radiation and temperatures of the fluid and the collector components were undertaken both in natural and forced convections. Theoretical and experimental results are consistent and encouraging. The maximum experimental productivity reaches 75% in forced convection and 40% in natural convection. The theoretical experimental efficiency is 84.5% in forced convection.
Keywords: Thermal collector, fin, performance, natural and forced convection