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Performance Augmentation of the Flat Plate Solar Thermal Collector: A Review

Author

Listed:
  • Tabish Alam

    (Building Energy Efficiency Division, CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee 247667, India
    Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India)

  • Nagesh Babu Balam

    (Building Energy Efficiency Division, CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee 247667, India
    Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India)

  • Kishor Sitaram Kulkarni

    (Building Energy Efficiency Division, CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee 247667, India
    Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India)

  • Md Irfanul Haque Siddiqui

    (Mechanical Engineering Department, King Saud University, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia)

  • Nishant Raj Kapoor

    (Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India)

  • Chandan Swaroop Meena

    (Building Energy Efficiency Division, CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee 247667, India
    Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India)

  • Ashok Kumar

    (Building Energy Efficiency Division, CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee 247667, India
    Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India)

  • Raffaello Cozzolino

    (Department of Engineering, University of Rome Niccolò Cusano, 00166 Roma, Italy)

Abstract

The need for hot water in residential buildings requires a significant energy potential. Therefore, an efficient water heating system is important to achieve the goal of saving high-grade energy. The most simple and cheapest solar water heater is a flat plate solar collector (FPSC), which can increase the thermal energy of fluid by absorbing solar radiation. The performance of FPSC is comparatively low due to the dilute nature of solar insolation. Therefore, advancement of FPSC is being undertaken to improve the performance and achieve size reduction. In past, several techniques have been exploited to improve the performance of FPSC, which are presented in the present paper. These techniques include surface modifications, use of nanofluids, solar selective coating, and applications of a mini/macro channel, heat pipe, and vacuum around absorber. Surface modification on the absorber/absorber tube techniques are exploited to transfer the maximum possible solar energy to working fluids by increasing the heat transfer rate. Insertion of wire mesh, coil, and twisted tapes in the flow has great potential to increase the Nusselt number by 460% at the expense of a large pressure drop. Selective coating of Cu0.44 Ti0.44 Mn0.84 helps to absorb up to 97.4% of the incident solar energy, which is more significant. Many nanofluids have been exploited as heat transfer fluids, as they not only increase the performance but also reduce the fluid inventory. So, these techniques play a very prominent role in the performance of FPSC, which are discussed in detail. Summaries of the results are presented and recommendations proposed.

Suggested Citation

  • Tabish Alam & Nagesh Babu Balam & Kishor Sitaram Kulkarni & Md Irfanul Haque Siddiqui & Nishant Raj Kapoor & Chandan Swaroop Meena & Ashok Kumar & Raffaello Cozzolino, 2021. "Performance Augmentation of the Flat Plate Solar Thermal Collector: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-23, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:19:p:6203-:d:645655
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ashok Kumar & Pardeep Singh & Nishant Raj Kapoor & Chandan Swaroop Meena & Kshitij Jain & Kishor S. Kulkarni & Raffaello Cozzolino, 2021. "Ecological Footprint of Residential Buildings in Composite Climate of India—A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-25, October.
    2. Łukasz Amanowicz, 2021. "Peak Power of Heat Source for Domestic Hot Water Preparation (DHW) for Residential Estate in Poland as a Representative Case Study for the Climate of Central Europe," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Gustavo Furtado Pereira & Aline da Silva Oliveira & Kelly Cristiane Gomes & José Félix Silva Neto & Thiago Araújo Simões & Antônio Farias Leal & Sandro Marden Torres & Marçal Rosas Florentino Lima Fil, 2022. "Selective Absorbing Surface Based on CrO 3 : Evaluation of Substrates Treatment Influence on the Films Optical Properties," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Pavel G. Struchalin & Dmitrii M. Kuzmenkov & Vladimir S. Yunin & Xinzhi Wang & Yurong He & Boris V. Balakin, 2022. "Hybrid Nanofluid in a Direct Absorption Solar Collector: Magnetite vs. Carbon Nanotubes Compete for Thermal Performance," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-8, February.
    5. Karmveer & Naveen Kumar Gupta & Tabish Alam & Raffaello Cozzolino & Gino Bella, 2022. "A Descriptive Review to Access the Most Suitable Rib’s Configuration of Roughness for the Maximum Performance of Solar Air Heater," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-46, April.
    6. Henok G. Gebretinsae & Meresa G. Tsegay & Giday G. Welegergs & Malik Maaza & Zebib Y. Nuru, 2022. "Effect of Rotational Speed on the Structural, Morphological, and Optical Properties of Biosynthesized Nickel Oxide Thin Films for Selective Solar Absorber Nanocoatings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-18, November.

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