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Numerical Study on the Effect of Distribution Plates in the Manifolds on the Flow Distribution and Thermal Performance of a Flat Plate Solar Collector

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  • Juan Manuel García-Guendulain

    (Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Universidad de Guanajuato, 36885 Salamanca, Gto., Mexico)

  • José Manuel Riesco-Avila

    (Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Universidad de Guanajuato, 36885 Salamanca, Gto., Mexico)

  • Francisco Elizalde-Blancas

    (Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Universidad de Guanajuato, 36885 Salamanca, Gto., Mexico)

  • Juan Manuel Belman-Flores

    (Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Universidad de Guanajuato, 36885 Salamanca, Gto., Mexico)

  • Juan Serrano-Arellano

    (División de Arquitectura e Ingeniería en Energías Renovables, Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Huichapan, El Saucillo, 42411 Huichapan, Hgo., Mexico)

Abstract

Flow maldistribution represents a problem of particular interest in the engineering field for several thermal systems. In flat plate solar collectors, the thermal efficiency strongly depends on the flow distribution through the riser tubes, where a uniform distribution causes a uniform temperature distribution and therefore a higher efficiency. In this work, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) numerical analysis has been carried out using the commercial software FLUENT ® , in order to determine the flow distribution, pressure drop and hence the thermal efficiency of a solar collector with distribution flow plates inside the manifolds. The obtained numerical solution for this type of thermal systems has been validated with experimental results available in literature for laminar and turbulent flow. Four distribution plate configurations were analyzed. Results show that using two distribution plates in each of both manifolds improves the flow uniformity up to 40% under the same operating conditions when distribution plates are not used. Besides, it is shown that there exists an increase in the overall pressure drop which is practically negligible for the tilt angles commonly employed in the installation of flat plate solar collectors in Mexico. The use of closed end distribution plates on the dividing and combining manifolds allows the thermal efficiency to become close to the ideal thermal efficiency which is obtained with a uniform flow distribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan Manuel García-Guendulain & José Manuel Riesco-Avila & Francisco Elizalde-Blancas & Juan Manuel Belman-Flores & Juan Serrano-Arellano, 2018. "Numerical Study on the Effect of Distribution Plates in the Manifolds on the Flow Distribution and Thermal Performance of a Flat Plate Solar Collector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-21, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:5:p:1077-:d:143554
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cerón, J.F. & Pérez-García, J. & Solano, J.P. & García, A. & Herrero-Martín, R., 2015. "A coupled numerical model for tube-on-sheet flat-plate solar liquid collectors. Analysis and validation of the heat transfer mechanisms," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 275-287.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Panagiotis Karvounis & Dimitrios Koubogiannis & Elias Hontzopoulos & Antonios Hatziapostolou, 2019. "Numerical and Experimental Study of Flow Characteristics in Solar Collector Manifolds," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, April.
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    5. Martin Beer & Radim Rybár & Michal Cehlár & Sergey Zhironkin & Peter Sivák, 2020. "Design and Numerical Study of the Novel Manifold Header for the Evacuated Tube Solar Collector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-12, May.

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