Optimal mixed convection for maximal energy recovery with vertical porous channel (solar wall)

Yanik Boutin and Louis Gosselin

Renewable Energy, 2009, vol. 34, issue 12, 2714-2721

Abstract: A vertical open-ended channel filled with a porous medium, with an imposed heat flux and a heat loss coefficient on one of its walls, is studied numerically. A fan can enhance the self-driven flow, and therefore a mixed convection regime is considered. The objective is to maximize the overall energy recovery (heat transfer to the fluid minus fan power). Correlations are developed for optimal pressure drop to be imposed by the fan and maximal energy recovery, as a function of the Rayleigh number, the channel aspect ratio, and the heat loss coefficient. The optimal allocation of the total energy losses (i.e., sum of the heat loss and fan power) is shown. Potential applications include solar wall and solar chimney used for ventilation and preheating of makeup air in buildings.

Keywords: Solar wall; Natural convection; Mixed convection; Solar chimney; Vertical channel; Natural ventilation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:34:y:2009:i:12:p:2714-2721

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2009.06.007

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