Performance Analysis of Trapezoidal Corrugated Solar Air Heater with Sensible Heat Storage Material

The energy and exergy analysis of solar air heater having absorber plate corrugated in the shape of trapezoid along with sensible heat storage material is carried out. Gravel is used as a sensible heat storage material and placed below the absorber plate. Thermal performance analysis of solar air heater with and without sensible heat storage materials is carried out and compared with flat plate solar air heater. The parameters such as solar radiation intensity, temperatures at various positions in solar air heater, and daily thermal and exergy efficiency are calculated. The average daily thermal efficiency of flat plate solar air heater and that having trapezoidal corrugation are 8.5% and 12.2% respectively, while trapezoidal corrugated absorber with sensible heat storage material shows thermal efficiency of 36.6%. The maximum exergy efficiency obtained having trapezoidal corrugated absorber with sensible heat storage material is 12.56%.