Utilization of recyclable aluminum cans as fins in a vertical solar air heating system: An experimental and numerical study

Khanlari A., Tuncer A. D., Afshari F., SÖZEN G.

Journal of Building Engineering, cilt.63, 2023 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 63
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.jobe.2022.105446
  • Dergi Adı: Journal of Building Engineering
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Compendex, INSPEC
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Vertical, Solar air collector, Aluminum can, Fin, Plenum, Energy consumption of building
  • Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

© 2022 Elsevier LtdHeating loads cover a large portion of the total energy consumption of buildings. Solar air heating is a sustainable and low-cost alternative for heating applications instead of employing fossil energy sources. In this work, vertical solar air collectors (VSACs) have been developed to be utilized in buildings. Moreover, aluminum beverage cans have been utilized as fins to improve the effectiveness of the collector system. In the initial stage of the study, various aluminum can configurations have been analyzed numerically. Numerical findings showed that symmetric placement of aluminum cans gave better results in comparison to the hollow VSAC and VSAC with asymmetric can placement. In this regard, symmetric can configuration has been applied to the VSACs with two plenum thicknesses including 100 mm and 150 mm for experimental investigation. Experiments have been performed at two flow rates and thermal efficiencies of the tested VSACs were found between the range of 55.16–76.22%. Also, average exergy efficiency values for VSACs with higher and lower plenum thicknesses were obtained between the ranges of 8.34–8.85% and 9.84–10.36%, respectively. The overall findings of the present research exhibited successful utilization of recyclable aluminum beverage can-integrated VSACs for air heating.