Chapter 6
Multi-objective Performance
Optimization of a Ribbed Solar Air
Heater
Naveen Sharma and Rajesh Choudhary
Abstract To achieve maximum thermohydraulic performance, by maximizing the
heat transfer and minimizing the pumping power, for a ribbed solar air heater, a
Taguchi method has been used to predict the optimal set of design and flow parameters. An L 16 (4
3 ) orthogonal array is selected as an investigational plan to perform
the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for investigating the effect of
design parameters, i.e. Reynolds number (4000–16000), rib pitch to height ratio
(3–12), and rib geometry due to change in inclination angle of front face of the rib (α
= 45°–90°) on the effectiveness of a solar air heater. Nusselt number, friction factor
and thermohydraulic performance are considered as performance indexes, and the
minimization of pumping power (minimum pressure drop) and the maximization of
heat transfer and overall performance are taken as the optimization criteria. Results
show that Reynolds number has the greatest influence on the heat transfer as well as
thermohydraulic performance, while rib spacing on the friction factor ratio. The best
combinations of design factors for heat transfer, pressure drop, and thermohydraulic
performance are A 4 B 4 C 1 , A 4 B 1 C 1 , and A 1 B 4 C 1 , respectively. Numerical results validate the aptness of the proposed methodology, so, this investigation suitably offers
an improved rib design for internal fluid flow investigations related to effective heat
transfer applications.
Keywords Computational fluid dynamics · Heat transfer · Pumping power ·
Optimization · Solar air heater · Thermohydraulic performance
6.1 Introduction
In today’s scenario, the demand of energy is increasing continuously owing to the
industrial development and increasing population. With limited and rapidly decreasing conventional energy sources, the supply of consistent and continual energy has
N. Sharma (B)
DVR & Dr. HS MIC College of Technology, Kanchikacherla, A.P 521180, India
e-mail: sharma.naveen28@yahoo.com
R. Choudhary
Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
H. Tyagi et al. (eds.), Solar Energy, Energy, Environment,
and Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0675-8_6
77
Multi-objective Performance
Optimization of a Ribbed Solar Air
Heater
Naveen Sharma and Rajesh Choudhary
Abstract To achieve maximum thermohydraulic performance, by maximizing the
heat transfer and minimizing the pumping power, for a ribbed solar air heater, a
Taguchi method has been used to predict the optimal set of design and flow parameters. An L 16 (4
3 ) orthogonal array is selected as an investigational plan to perform
the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for investigating the effect of
design parameters, i.e. Reynolds number (4000–16000), rib pitch to height ratio
(3–12), and rib geometry due to change in inclination angle of front face of the rib (α
= 45°–90°) on the effectiveness of a solar air heater. Nusselt number, friction factor
and thermohydraulic performance are considered as performance indexes, and the
minimization of pumping power (minimum pressure drop) and the maximization of
heat transfer and overall performance are taken as the optimization criteria. Results
show that Reynolds number has the greatest influence on the heat transfer as well as
thermohydraulic performance, while rib spacing on the friction factor ratio. The best
combinations of design factors for heat transfer, pressure drop, and thermohydraulic
performance are A 4 B 4 C 1 , A 4 B 1 C 1 , and A 1 B 4 C 1 , respectively. Numerical results validate the aptness of the proposed methodology, so, this investigation suitably offers
an improved rib design for internal fluid flow investigations related to effective heat
transfer applications.
Keywords Computational fluid dynamics · Heat transfer · Pumping power ·
Optimization · Solar air heater · Thermohydraulic performance
6.1 Introduction
In today’s scenario, the demand of energy is increasing continuously owing to the
industrial development and increasing population. With limited and rapidly decreasing conventional energy sources, the supply of consistent and continual energy has
N. Sharma (B)
DVR & Dr. HS MIC College of Technology, Kanchikacherla, A.P 521180, India
e-mail: sharma.naveen28@yahoo.com
R. Choudhary
Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
H. Tyagi et al. (eds.), Solar Energy, Energy, Environment,
and Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0675-8_6
77