Performance analysis of domestic solar air heating system using V-shaped baffles – An experimental study

An experimental study has been carried out to enhance a solar air heater’s performance by integrating artificial roughness through baffles on the absorber plate. In this paper, the thermal and energy matrices analysis of a Solar Air Heater (SAH) roughened with V up perforated baffles have been investigated. The effect of various mass flow rates on the SAH was analyzed with and without baffles. Experimental outputs like outlet air temperature, useful energy (heat) gain and thermal efficiency were evaluated to confirm the performance improvement. The baffled absorber plate SAH was found to give the maximum thermal efficiency and useful energy gain of 89.3% and 1321.37 W at a mass flow rate of 0.0346 kg/s, 13% and 12% higher than SAH without baffle. This result showed that the V up-shaped ribs in flow arrangement provide better thermal performance than smooth plate SAH for the parameter investigated. Energy matrices analysis and carbon dioxide mitigation of the SAH system were also analyzed.