Theoretical prediction of performance of Single and Double pass solar air heaters with artificial roughened absorber plates

Investigations are carried out on artificial roughened absorber plates on Solar air heater. The roughness parameters are identified in to five basic profiles A, B, C, D and E. The profiles A, B and C are basic cubical and cylindrical profiles and the profiles D and E are categorized as rod arrangement of inline and staggered nature. Both frictional and heat transfer characteristics have been studied. Optimum results of frictional and heat transfer characteristics have been arrived out. Results show a higher value of frictional factor for the profile E. All reasons of variations have been justified and discussed. The deviation of friction factor from modified Balsius equation is within the limit of 4.32 %. Results also show higher value of Nusselt number for the inline rod arrangement of SAH than the other profiles.