CFD Analysis of Solar Air Heater having Ribs - A Critical Review

Solar energy is radiation from the sun that can produce heat, cause chemical processes, or generate electricity. The entire amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth is far greater than the energy needs of the world today and in the future. The amount of solar energy that the Earth receives each day is around 200,000 times greater than the total amount of electricity that is generated around the world in a day. This means that solar energy has a huge potential. Solar cells are capable of converting solar light directly into electricity. When light hits the junction between a metal and a semiconductor (like silicon) or the junction between two separate semiconductors, a modest electric potential is produced in these types of cells. The current study work examines the thermal performance of solar air heaters and how it might be improved through the use of artificial roughness. The study found that artificial roughness definitely enhances the efficacy of solar air heaters.