Artificial bee colony algorithm for thermohydraulic optimization of flat plate solar air heaters

YILDIRIM C., AYDOĞDU İ.

JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, vol.31, no.7, pp.3593-3602, 2017 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 31 Issue: 7
  • Publication Date: 2017
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s12206-017-0647-6
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.3593-3602
  • Keywords: Solar energy, Solar air heater, Artificial bee colony optimization, Thermal efficiency, Thermohydraulic efficiency, COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS, 2ND LAW OPTIMIZATION, EXERGETIC OPTIMIZATION, THERMAL PERFORMANCE, DIFFERENT OBSTACLES, ENERGY, FLOW
  • Akdeniz University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Determination of thermal efficiency is not a sufficient tool for solar air heaters because of disregarded energy consumption by fans. Most of the solar air heaters are equipped with fans in order to overcome pressure drops. Thermohydraulic efficiency is more favorable than thermal efficiency in terms of the design of solar energy conversion systems. In this present study, Artificial bee colony (ABC) based optimum design and operation algorithm is developed for Single pass solar air heater (SPSAH) and for Double parallel pass solar air heater (DPPSAH) which maximizes thermohydraulic efficiency. In order to solve the algorithm, channel depth is treated as a design variable, and air mass flow rate is defined as an operation parameter. Furthermore, energy balance equations are written for solar air heaters and solved for steady-state condition. As a result, optimum design and operation values are obtained from the algorithm for different collector lengths and solar insolation levels.