Performance Analysis of Solar Collector Integrated with Porous Metallic Foam
The use of solar energy is a promising solution to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Flat-plate collectors (FPCs) are commonly employed to harness solar energy, but their performance is often limited by thermal resistance, surface deterioration, and inefficient heat dissipation. This study investig...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/5/2432 |
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| Summary: | The use of solar energy is a promising solution to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Flat-plate collectors (FPCs) are commonly employed to harness solar energy, but their performance is often limited by thermal resistance, surface deterioration, and inefficient heat dissipation. This study investigates the performance enhancement of an FPC integrated with porous copper foam through numerical simulations. The porous foam increases surface area and improves heat transfer by creating a complex flow path for the working fluid. Key parameters such as the porous foam height ratio (<i>S</i>), Darcy number (Da), and volumetric flow rate (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mover accent="true"><mi>V</mi><mo>˙</mo></mover></semantics></math></inline-formula>) are analysed to determine their impact on thermal performance. The results indicate that a maximum Nusselt number (Nu) of 28.85 and an outlet temperature of 306.81 K is obtained for <i>S</i> = 1. A decrease in Da from 10<sup>−2</sup> to 10<sup>−6</sup> and an increase in <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mover accent="true"><mi>V</mi><mo>˙</mo></mover></semantics></math></inline-formula> from 0.25 L/min to 1 L/min enhance the Nu by 5.7% and 8.8%, respectively. The friction factor (<i>f</i>) increases with increases in <i>S</i>, a decrease in Da and an increase in <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mover accent="true"><mi>V</mi><mo>˙</mo></mover></semantics></math></inline-formula>. The performance evaluation criteria (PEC) are obtained to be maximum at <i>S</i> = 0.4, Da = 10<sup>−2</sup> and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mover accent="true"><mi>V</mi><mo>˙</mo></mover></semantics></math></inline-formula> = 0.25 L/min. These findings demonstrate the potential of porous copper foam in improving FPC efficiency. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-3417 |