SIMULATION OF A DOUBLE-PASS SOLAR AIR COLLECTOR FOR RADIATION EFFECTS USING COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS (CFD)

This research provides an in-depth analysis of solar radiation's impact on the thermal efficiency of a solar air collector. Using advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations in ANSYS Fluent, the study examines temperature distribution and airflow dynamics within the collector across varying levels of solar radiation. The simulations were carefully configured to replicate real-world solar radiation conditions, ranging from 680 W/m(2) to 1220 W/m(2), enabling a precise evaluation of the collector's performance under different environmental conditions. Results indicate that at the lowest radiation level (680 W/m(2)), the collector's outlet air temperature reached a peak of 26 degrees C, increasing progressively to a maximum of 29 degrees C at 1220 W/m(2). Temperature patterns varied with radiation intensity, especially at the start of the collector's second pass, where temperatures rose from 30 degrees C at the lowest radiation level to 34 degrees C at the highest. Thermal efficiency calculations for each radiation level reveal that efficiency increases with radiation intensity, peaking at 26.25% at 1220 W/m(2). These findings highlight the effectiveness of the collector's design in heat absorption and retention, particularly in the second pass, indicating potential opportunities for enhancing solar air collector designs in the future.