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Go to Editorial ManagerThe present work is a numerical study of thermal performance of modified flat plate solar water collectors. Numerical simulations have been done by solving the governing equations (Continuity, Momentum and Energy) equations in the laminar regime , three dimensions by using the FLUENT software version (14.5). The effect of flow on temperature distribution of flat plate water collectors by inserting (twist strip with twist ratio (3), helical spring surrounding the solid shaft) inside riser pipes is numerically simulated and compared with solar collector without inserting device inside its riser pipes at flow rates of (100)?/h . The numerical simulation results show that the flat plate water, solar collectors with the inserted, twist strip and helical spring that’s surround the solid shaft were higher enhancement of heat transfer than without inserted devices. The useful energy in case of twist strip is (10%) higher than the case of flat plate solar collector without enhancement device. Also, the case of helical spring is increased (6.8 %) than the twist strip, and (16.2%) than collector without enhancement device for the same mass flow rate.
The optimal spacing between elliptic tubes cooled by free convection is studied numerically. A row of isothermal elliptic tubes are installed in a fixed volume and the spacing between them is selected according to the constructal theory (Bejan's theory). In this theory the spacing between the tubes is chosen such that the heat transfer density is maximized. A finite volume method is employed to solve the governing equations; SIMPLE algorithm with collocated grid is utilized for coupling between velocity and pressure. The range of Rayleigh number is (103 ? Ra ? 105), the range of the axis ratio of the tubes is (0 ? ? ? 0.5), and the working fluid is air (Pr =0.71). The results show that the optimal spacing decreases as Rayleigh number increases for all axis ratios, and the maximum density of heat transfer increases as the Raleigh number increases for all axis ratios and the highest value occurs at axis ratio (? =0) (flat plate) while the lowest value occurs at (? =0.5) (circular tube). The results also show that the optimal spacing is unchanged with the axis ratio at constant Rayleigh number.