Experimental Investigation of Two Solar Air Heaters, with and without
Employing PCM
Abstract
In the present study, an experimental test was conducted to investigate
the energetic performance of a novel designed solar air heater (SAH),
with and without phase change material (PCM). Two identical in
dimensions SAHs were constructed and tested to compare their performance
between them, the first is a jacket tube solar air heater (SAH 1), and
the second SAH is similar to the first, filled with PCM (SAH 2).
Experimental results showed that increasing air flow rate increases the
thermal efficiency,. Thermal energy during day hours can be stored in
the PCM and used after sunset. SAH 2 gave additional operating time
after sunset for 4 hours at 0.01 kg/s, 2.5 hours at 0.035 kg/s, and one
hour at 0.06 kg/s. Maximum improvement in the daily thermal efficiency
was 15% at SAH 2, more than SAH 1 at 0.01 kg/s air flow rate. Employing
PCM, as so as increasing air flow rate can reduce the daily thermal
losses..