Investigation of Shroud Geometry to Passively Improve Heat Transfer in a Solar Thermal Storage Tank

Author

Matthew Keene Zemler, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Date of Award

Fall 12-2012

Access Type

Thesis - Open Access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Department

Mechanical Engineering

Committee Chair

Sandra K. S. Boetcher

First Committee Member

Birce Dikici

Second Committee Member

Rafael Rodriguez

Abstract

A shroud and baffle configuration is used to passively increase heat transfer in a thermal store. The shroud and baffle are used to create a vena contracta near the surface of the heat exchanger, which will speed up the flow locally and thereby increasing heat transfer. The goal of this study is to investigate the geometry of the shroud in optimizing heat transfer by locally increasing the velocity near the surface of the heat exchanger. Two-dimensional transient simulations are conducted. The immersed heat exchanger is modeled as an isothermal cylinder, which is situated at the top of a solar thermal storage tank containing water (Pr = 3) with adiabatic walls. The shroud and baffle are modeled as adiabatic, and the geometry of the shroud and baffle are parametrically varied. Nusselt numbers and fractional energy discharge rates are obtained for a range of Rayleigh numbers, 10 ⁵ ≤ Ra_D ≤ 10⁷ , in order to determine optimal shroud and baffle configurations.

Scholarly Commons Citation

Zemler, Matthew Keene, "Investigation of Shroud Geometry to Passively Improve Heat Transfer in a Solar Thermal Storage Tank" (2012). Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses. 150.
https://commons.erau.edu/edt/150