Numerical Investigation of Solar Updraft Tower for Different Collector Inlet Heights and Absorber Materials

In this paper, performance characteristics of the solar updraft tower were investigated using a numerical analysis. Simulations were carried out using ANSYS FLUENT to create a realistic shape and mesh for the flow model. The governing equation was solved using a combination of turbulent, realizable (k–ε), and discrete ordinate radiation approaches. Maximum air velocity and air temperature were recorded in the SUT model using GI sheet ground materials for collectors at lower collector intake heights, higher maximum air velocity.