Exergy and sustainability analysis of a solar heat collector with wavy delta winglets as turbulent promoters: A numerical analysis

• Published in: Case studies in thermal engineering Vol. 49; p. 103293
• Main Authors: Maithani, Rajesh, Kumar, Anil, Ali, Masood Ashraf, Gupta, Naveen Kumar, Sharma, Sachin, Alam, Tabish, Eldin, Sayed M., Bhutto, Javed Khan, Dobrota, Dan, Ciofu, Florin Cristian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: Cost-to-benefit ratio; Exergy efficiency; Solar collector; Sustainability; Wavy delta winglets; Wavy delta winglets; Exergy efficiency; Solar collector; Cost-to-benefit ratio; Sustainability
• ISSN: 2214-157X; 2214-157X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.csite.2023.103293

This numerical study aims to determine the exergy analysis for a modified solar heat collector (SHC) having wavy delta winglets as turbulent promoters. These winglets disrupt the viscous layer to improve the heat transfer rate from the heat-absorbing surface to the fluid medium in the rectangular channel. The analysis considers following parameters: the relative longitudinal pitch (P/H), number of waves (φ), and flow angle of attack (α0) and flow Reynolds number range of 4000–18000. The maximum exergy efficiency of 29.18% is achieved with a longitudinal pitch of 5, an angle of attack of 60°, and a relative number of waves of 5. To evaluate the system's feasibility and sustainability, the study uses a Sustainability Index (SI), which reflects the system's Waste Energy Ratio (WER) and Improvement Potential (IP). This assessment helps identify opportunities for improvement in the thermal system.