Go Back   EcoModder Forum > AltModding > Saving@Home
Register Now
 Register Now
 


Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 09-28-2021, 09:25 AM   #1 (permalink)
Mechanical engineer
 
Vekke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Kitee (Finland)
Posts: 1,244

Siitin - '98 Seat Cordoba Vario
90 day: 58.56 mpg (US)

VW Lupo 3L --> 2L - '00 VolksWagen Lupo 3L
Diesel
90 day: 104.94 mpg (US)

A8 luxury fuel sipper - '97 Audi A8 1.2 TDI 6 speed manual
90 day: 64.64 mpg (US)

Audi A4B6 Avant Niistäjä - '02 Audi A4b6 1.9tdi 96kW 3L
90 day: 54.57 mpg (US)

Tourekki - '04 VW Touareg 2.5TDI R5 6 speed manual
90 day: 32.98 mpg (US)

A2 1.4TDI - '03 Audi A2 1.4 TDI
90 day: 45.68 mpg (US)

A2 1.4 LPG - '02 Audi A2 1.4 (75hp)
90 day: 24.67 mpg (US)
Thanks: 259
Thanked 803 Times in 391 Posts
DIY solar air heater



Here is a puzzle for all you CFD experts. I yesterday released my solar heater design, but it still needs little bit design before making first real world tests and I was wondering if you could help.

I ended at the moment making that kind of holes for the aluminum tin paper. Target is to get even flow speeds under the aluminum tin and on top of it on the visible side. On the visible side flow speeds can be little bit slower. At the moment I have left there little bit more room 30mm vs 20mm under the AL foil. I would like to have little bit slower flow speed on that side as the PC sheet will be "cold"compared to the inside of the collector.

Would like to make quick and dirty CFD run, but sadly I don`t have any software currently in use that could do such a simulation.

What you think would this design work well or would you think any other cutting patterns?

Main targets
1. Maximal surface area under the PC sheet which has AL tin foil.
2. pretty even flow in liters in each channel and little bit less near the PC
3. Idea is to have even laminar flow inside heater to minimize losses and get even temperatures inside the collector, which will lead to greater overall efficiency, because hot spots will be minimal.

Link to yesterdays video in comments.

#aerodynamics #cfd #puzzle #airheater #flowoptimization #laminar #flow #engineering #fluidflow #simulation

__________________


https://www.linkedin.com/in/vesatiainen/

Vesa Tiainen innovation engineer and automotive enthusiast
  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 09-28-2021, 09:30 PM   #2 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
freebeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 27,562
Thanks: 7,738
Thanked 8,554 Times in 7,041 Posts
Thanks. I've often envisioned a similar box 3x16 feet on my flat roof.

I'd be concerned about airflow through those outer channels. Suppose you offset the holes to the 1/4 and 3/4 points. Essentially, split the difference on the outer fences instead of the central one.

I'm not sure how to equalize the flow (If it's really needed) otherwise.
__________________
.
.
Without freedom of speech we wouldn't know who all the idiots are. -- anonymous poster

____________________
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2021, 10:18 PM   #3 (permalink)
home of the odd vehicles
 
rmay635703's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere in WI
Posts: 3,874

Silver - '10 Chevy Cobalt XFE
Thanks: 495
Thanked 863 Times in 650 Posts
My father built a solar heater in the 70’s it was an insulated wooden triangle with a flat black aluminum sheet, a small Airgap with a translucent plastic lense

He used a simple in out air duct with a thermocouple and a small fan that would suck air from the top into the ceiling of our house.

It would make heat year round and he would simply cover it with white foam in the summer
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2021, 02:44 AM   #4 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
freebeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 27,562
Thanks: 7,738
Thanked 8,554 Times in 7,041 Posts
The house my parents built had a slanted box ('triangular') with a 60-80 gallon black painted water tank in it, in the top of a greenhouse addition roof gable. But the so-called 'solar contractor' put it two feet from the exterior glazing and that cut down the already marginal light capture, due to internal shading.
__________________
.
.
Without freedom of speech we wouldn't know who all the idiots are. -- anonymous poster

____________________
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2021, 09:43 AM   #5 (permalink)
Mechanical engineer
 
Vekke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Kitee (Finland)
Posts: 1,244

Siitin - '98 Seat Cordoba Vario
90 day: 58.56 mpg (US)

VW Lupo 3L --> 2L - '00 VolksWagen Lupo 3L
Diesel
90 day: 104.94 mpg (US)

A8 luxury fuel sipper - '97 Audi A8 1.2 TDI 6 speed manual
90 day: 64.64 mpg (US)

Audi A4B6 Avant Niistäjä - '02 Audi A4b6 1.9tdi 96kW 3L
90 day: 54.57 mpg (US)

Tourekki - '04 VW Touareg 2.5TDI R5 6 speed manual
90 day: 32.98 mpg (US)

A2 1.4TDI - '03 Audi A2 1.4 TDI
90 day: 45.68 mpg (US)

A2 1.4 LPG - '02 Audi A2 1.4 (75hp)
90 day: 24.67 mpg (US)
Thanks: 259
Thanked 803 Times in 391 Posts
First CFD simulation is ready.

https://youtu.be/9LD-mVdRsKA


Thanks to www.eqmsol.com Gaurav Kamde and Anand Kulkarni making this simulation possible. In this video you will see CFD simulation results of the 1st design version of the flat plate solar heat air collector. I will go through the simulation results and the modification done to make the flow pattern better to get best efficiency for the collector.


This is a opensource project so final version design details and drawings will be released to everyone so you can make it easily yourself and help to save our climate and save yourself little bit money on heating costs.


__________________


https://www.linkedin.com/in/vesatiainen/

Vesa Tiainen innovation engineer and automotive enthusiast

Last edited by Vekke; 10-11-2021 at 10:06 AM..
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com