Enhancing solar chimney performance via tangential partition walls: a computational study

This study investigates clean energy generation through the efficient utilization of solar irradiance in a solar chimney (SC) system. To overcome the limitations of low airflow rates in conventional designs, tangential partition walls (TPWs) are introduced in the collector section to induce a swirling motion, thereby enhancing airflow and thermal performance. A three-dimensional computational model was developed using ANSYS FLUENT and validated against experimental data from a solar chimney located in Al Ain, UAE. The model was used to analyze flow behavior and assess the average velocity and temperature at the chimney inlet. Results show that TPWs significantly impact SC performance. A configuration with 3 TPWs demonstrated marked improvements in flow velocity and temperature uniformity compared to the baseline design without TPWs. Further enhancement was observed with additional TPWs: a system with 8 TPWs, a 100 m² collector area, and a 0.24 m chimney entrance diameter yielded a 350% increase in kinetic energy. These improvements are attributed to the swirling flow generated near the chimney entrance, which promotes a coherent updraft and reduces recirculation zones. The findings confirm that TPWs offer a promising strategy to boost SC efficiency and support scalable clean energy solutions.