Experimental Investigation of Solar Chimney Performance

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Mechanical engineering Department- Sinai University

2 Mechanical Power Department- Faculty of Engineering- Menoufia university

3 Shebin El-Kom, Egypt 3 El-Safa St. from Jamal Abdul-Nasser St.

4 Mechanical Power Department, Faculty of Engineering, Menoufia University, Egypt.

Abstract

A solar chimney is a passive device that utilizes solar and wind energies for cooling, heating, and ventilation of closed spaces. In this study, an experimental investigation of the thermal performance of solar chimneys under the meteorological conditions of El-Arish, North Sinai, Egypt is presented and discussed. The experimental measurements were performed under different solar intensities, different geometric conditions, and storage heat techniques. The experimental investigation was conducted using two test rigs of the solar chimney with the same dimensions. One of them has a fixed configuration and was used as a reference, while the other one was modified at each stage of the measuring process. The experimental study was concerned with the effect of changing the gap width, integrating a layer of sensible heat storage material into the chimney, and integrating a phase change material. The experimental results showed that the solar chimneys (SCs) with gap widths of 2.5, 5, and 10 cm achieved an average daily efficiency of 21.1%, 24.1%, and 16.3% respectively. It also showed Integrating the SC with concrete and bitumen increased the air mass flow rate through the SC with a daily average value of about 24% and 32% respectively.

Keywords


Volume 46, Issue 3
issued on 1/7/2023 in 5 Parts: Part (1) Electrical Engineering, Part (2) Mechanical Engineering, Part (3): Production Engineering, Part (4): Civil Engineering, Part (5) Architectural Engineering,
July 2023
Pages 301-309