Optimizing the heating performance of Trombe walls with ribbed surfaces using three-dimensional CFD analysis
Improving the thermal efficiency of Trombe walls is crucial for optimizing passive solar heating systems. Despite extensive research, the effect of ribbed surfaces on the thermo-hydrodynamic behavior has not been fully explored. This study aims to address this gap by performing a three-dimensional CFD analysis to investigate the combined effects of rib density (Nr = 3, 5, 7, 9) and rib geometry (rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, triangular, and semi-circular) on heat transfer and fluid dynamics within Trombe walls. The simulations were conducted using ANSYS Fluent (2020 R1) under laminar flow conditions (Re = 600–1600), with boundary conditions including a constant solar flux of 748 W/m2, an ambient temperature of 293.75 K, and an external wind speed of 1 m/s. The model was validated against experimental data correlations for the Nusselt number (Nu) and friction factor (f), with deviations of less than 6%. The results show that ribbing significantly enhances heat transfer by disturbing the boundary layer and promoting vortex formation. The optimal configuration (Nr = 5) increases the Nusselt number by 68.3% at Re = 1600 (from 12.41 to 20.88). Triangular ribs provide the highest thermal enhancement, nearly doubling Nu (a 99.4% increase, from 12.41 to 24.75), but incur significant friction penalties, with f rising by 169.4% (from 0.0489 to 0.1317). In contrast, semi-circular ribs strike a balance, yielding a thermal enhancement factor (TEF) of 1.51 (+ 50.6%) and increasing heat flux by 12.7%. These findings demonstrate that Nr = 5 with the appropriate rib geometry can optimize Trombe wall efficiency, making it suitable for nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs).
Three different Gas Tungsten Arc Welding methods—DC single electrode, DC double electrode, and PC double electrode—were analyzed using SS304 steel as the base material. Numerical models were…
Improving the thermal efficiency of Trombe walls is crucial for optimizing passive solar heating systems. Despite extensive research, the effect of ribbed surfaces on the thermo-hydrodynamic…
Pure and indium-substituted cobalt ferrite nanoparticles with composition CoFe2−ₓInₓO4 (x = 0.00 and 0.5) were successfully synthesized via an environmentally friendly green tea-assisted…