Numerical assessment of the impact of transverse roughness ribs on the turbulent natural convection in a BIPV air channel

The effect of varying rib geometry on the turbulent natural convective heat transfer coefficient in a BIPV air channel was assessed numerically. The CFD model was validated with experimental data from the literature to within reasonable accuracy. The study investigated parameters such as the rib shape, dimensionless rib height (e/ D), dimensionless rib pitch (p/e), and channel inclination angle (0). In each case, the heat flux is varied from 100 W/m(2) - 1000 W/m(2). The natural convection heat transfer coefficient on the heated wall is maximized for a vertical channel with triangular rib of e/D = 0.16 and p/e = 8.84. The enhancement in heat transfer afforded by the transverse ribs translates to a reduction of the summer heat gain of up to 35.5%. The natural convection heat transfer coefficient correlates with Ra*s (S /H), e/D, p/e and theta to within 15% error.

Automated summary

This study numerically assessed the influence of varying rib geometry on the turbulent natural convective heat transfer coefficient in a BIPV air channel. The results showed that the optimal rib shape and dimensions could maximize the natural convective heat transfer coefficient on the heated wall and reduce the summer heat gain.