Computational 3D Simulations of Fluid Dynamics and Comparisons of Heat Transfer Characteristics of Various Flat-Plate Solar Collectors

This article presents a comparative study of the aerodynamic and thermal behavior of various types of flat-plate solar collectors. The study is based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) which solves turbulent airflow with different types of baffles. Four models of flat-plate solar collectors were investigated: solar collectors with inclined baffles (SCIB), solar collectors with arched baffles (SCAB), solar collectors with perpendicular baffles (SCPB), and solar collectors with a maze of baffles (SCMB). The reduction in flow passage surface area due to the presence of baffles results in significant increases in airspeed, reaching 254%, 266%, 290%, and 502% of the inlet speed for SCIB, SCAB, SCPB, and SCMB, respectively.