Experimental Investigation on the Performance of Single Glazed Nano-Coated Absorber in Solar Air Heaters Integrated with Rectangular Baffles

This study presents an experimental investigation on enhancing the performance of solar air heaters by utilizing a single glazed nano-coated absorber integrated with rectangular baffles. Solar energy is a crucial renewable resource, and solar air heaters playa significant role in various applications such as heating and drying processes. The conventional solar air heater efficiency is limited by poor absorption properties of air. To address this limitation, this study explores the use of polyvinyl fluoride single glazing material and aluminum absorber plates coated with cupric oxide and carbon nanotubes. Additionally, rectangular baffles are strategically placed to improve heat transfer coefficients. Energy and exergy analyses are conducted to evaluate the system's performance. Results show that the combination of polyvinyl fluoride glazing material, cupric oxide, and carbon nanotube-coated absorber plates with rectangular baffles significantly enhances efficiency, achieving a maximum efficiency of 43.585% and exergy efficiency of 1.64%. This research contributes to the ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of solar air heaters, highlighting the potential of innovative design modifications for enhanced thermal performance.