Numerical and experimental investigation of the effect of radiant reflector on the conical solar collector for heat transfer enhancement

Abstract

Solar energy is a widely available and renewable form of energy, offering a promising alternative to fossil fuels. Various methods exist for harnessing solar energy, and one common approach involves the use of solar collectors. However, ongoing research aims to develop new and more efficient collectors. This study focuses on designing a conical solar collector and evaluating its performance based on the ASHRAE standard. The objective is to achieve superior efficiency compared to other collectors in the field. Due to experimental limitations, the optimal geometry of the conical solar collector was determined through numerical modeling. The most effective collector design identified had a small diameter of 58 mm, a large diameter of 336 mm, a height of 146 mm, and featured 12.67 turns. Subsequently, the selected model was subjected to laboratory testing. The results demonstrated that the highest efficiency was attained by incorporating a reflector and maintaining a flow rate of 1.5 l/min, resulting in an efficiency exceeding 81%.

Keywords

• Solar energy
• Conical collector
• Radiant reflector
• Heat transfer enhancement