ANALYSIS AND COMPUTER SIMULATION OF A NATURAL CONVECTIVE SOLAR- HEATED ANIMAL BUILDING

Abstract

A model has been developed to predict the outlet air temperature and air flow rate from a solar collector based on the theory of thermal buoyancy. A high capacitance solar collector directly coupled to an animal building absorbs solar radiation, which heats up air and forces entry into the building by convection.

In order to test the validity of predictions of the model measured outlet air temperatures of the solar collector are compared to the predicted values and the results are presented. The predictions of outlet temperature and air flow rate agree reasonably well with experimental data, differences being of less than 1.5% significance.


[Global Jnl Engineering Res. Vol.1(2) 2002: 127-136]