All Issue

2026 Vol.46, Issue 1 Preview Page

Research Article

Analysis of Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop according to the Installation Location and Arrangement of Vortex Generators in a Finned Air Channel of a Solar Air Collector

핀 채널이 있는 태양열 공기 집열기 내 와류 생성기 부착 위치 및 배치에 따른 열전달 및 압력강하 성능 분석

Taehwan Choi1
,
Hyeonseok Jeong1
,
Geonyong An1
,
Kwangam Moon2
,
Hwiung Choi3*
최 태환1
,
정 현석1
,
안 건용1
,
문 광암2
,
최 휘웅3*
1MS Candidate, Graduate School of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineering, Chonnam National University
2Researcher, Department of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineering, Chonnam National University
3Assistant Professor, Department of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineering, Chonnam National University
1전남대학교 냉동공조공학과 대학원, 석사과정
2전남대학교 냉동공조공학과, 연구원
3전남대학교 냉동공조공학과, 조교수
*Corresponding Author
28 February 2026. pp. 25-37
PDF XML Citation
Abstract

The solar-air collector is a renewable energy system that recovers solar thermal energy using air. Unlike liquid-type solar collectors, they can obtain thermal energy without requiring large-scale equipment. However, its thermal efficiency must be improved due to the low thermal conductivity of the air. In this study, the heat transfer and pressure drop in a solar–air collector with a finned air channel were evaluated when vortex generators were attached to the fin surfaces. Six configurations were analyzed based on installation location and vortex generator arrangement at Reynolds numbers ranging from 3,000 to 15,000. The results confirmed that the vortex generator improved the heat transfer performance by up to 2.36 times. However, the friction factor increased by up to 4.11 times. Hence, the thermal-hydraulic performance was assessed by considering both improvements in heat transfer and increases in pressure drop. The best performance was achieved when the vortex generators were attached only to the vertical surface of the fins, in an arrangement that expanded the area along the airflow direction. These results are expected to provide valuable information for the further development of air heaters.

Keywords
Solar Air Collector
Vortex Generators
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Heat transfer
키워드
태양열 공기식 집열기
와류 생성기
전산유체해석
열전달
References
1

Kim, Y. H. and Hwang, J. H., Performance Comparison Analysis of Photovoltaic and Solar Systems and Liquid Type Photovoltaic Thermal System (L-PVTs), Journal of Korean Institute of Architectural Sustainable Environment and Building Systems, Vol. 13, No. 5, pp. 403-416, 2019, https://doi.org/10.22696/jkiaebs.20190035.

10.22696/jkiaebs.20190035
2

Heo, J. N., Shin, J. Y., Lee, D. H., and Son, Y. S., Numerical Study on the Pressure Drop and Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Flat-plate Solar Collector, Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Engineering, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 316-323, 2013, https://doi.org/10.5916/jkosme.2013.37.4.316.

10.5916/jkosme.2013.37.4.316
3

Kim, H. G. and Boo, J. H., Experimental Study on the Thermal Performance of a Domestic Solar Air Heater with Protruding Triangular Openings on the Absorber Plate, Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 41-51, 2016, https://doi.org/10.7836/kses.2016.36.2.041.

10.7836/kses.2016.36.2.041
4

Choi, H. U., Fatkhur, R., Kim, Y. B., Yoon, J. I., Son, C. H., and Choi, K. H., CFD Analysis on the Heat Transfer Performance with Various Obstacles in Air Channel of Air-Type PV/Thermal Module, Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society, Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 33-43, 2018, https://doi.org/10.7836/kses.2018.38.2.033.

10.7836/kses.2018.38.2.033
5

Moon, K. W., Choi, H. U., Kim, Y. B., Yoon, J. I., Son, C. H., and Choi, K. H., Analysis of Heat Transfer Performance According to Installation Conditions of Various Protrusions with Non-uniform Cross-section in Air Space of Air-Type PV/T System, Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 79-92, 2021, https://doi.org/10.7836/kses.2021.41.1.079.

10.7836/kses.2021.41.1.079
6

Kim, S. B., Kim, J. Y., An, B. H., Kim, Y. B., Son, C. H., Yoon, J. G., and Choi, K. H., Heat Transfer Performance and Pressure Drop Analysis According to Shape Conditions of Turbulent Promoters and Flow Conditions in Air-Type PV/T Collectors, Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society, Vol. 42, No. 1, pp. 87-101, 2022, https://doi.org/10.7836/kses.2022.42.1.087.

10.7836/kses.2022.42.1.087
7

Ebru, K. A., and Faith, K., Experimental Investigation of Thermal Performance of Solar Air Heater Having Different Obstacles on Absorber Plates, International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 416-421, 2010, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2009.11.007.

10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2009.11.007
8

Chamoli, S., Lu, R., Xu, D., and Yu, P., Thermal Performance Improvement of a Solar Air Heater Fitted with Winglet Vortex Generators, Solar Energy, Vol. 159, pp. 966-983, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2017.11.046.

10.1016/j.solener.2017.11.046
9

Singh, I. and Singh, S., CFD Analysis of Solar Air Heater Duct Having Square Wave Profiled Transverse Ribs as Roughness Elements, Solar Energy, Vol. 162, pp. 442-453, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2018.01.019.

10.1016/j.solener.2018.01.019
10

Min, C., Li, H., Gao, X., Wang, K., Xie, L., Numerical Investigation of Convective Heat Transfer Enhancement by a Combination of Vortex Generator and In-tube Inserts, International Communications In Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 127, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2021.105490.

10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2021.105490
11

Chand, S., Chand, P., Ghritlahre, H. K., Thermal Performance Enhancement of Solar Air Heater Using Louvered Fins Collector, Solar Energy, Vol. 239, pp. 10-24, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2022.04.046.

10.1016/j.solener.2022.04.046
12

Celik, H. S., and Erbay, L. B., Heat Transfer Enhancement Using Different Types of Turbulators on the Heat Exchangers, Journal of Thermal Engineering, Vol. 7, No. 7, pp. 1654-1670, 2021, https://doi.org/10.18186/thermal.1025921.

10.18186/thermal.1025921
13

Hadi, J. M., and Abed, Y. H., A Review on the Use of Vortex Generators in Solar Air Heaters: Experimental Insights and Theoretical Models for Performance Improvement, Al-Rafidain Journal of Engineering Sciences, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 210-227, 2025, https://doi.org/10.61268/1edw4d57.

10.61268/1edw4d57
14

Singh, I., and Singh, S., CFD Analysis of Solar Air Heater Duct Having Square Wave Profiled Transverse Ribs as Roughness Elements, Solar Energy, Vol. 162, pp. 442-453, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2018.01.019.

10.1016/j.solener.2018.01.019
15

Singh, I., Vardhan, S., Singh, S., and Singh, A., Experimental and CFD Analysis of Solar Air Heater Duct Roughened with Multiple Broken Transverse Ribs: A Comparative Study, Solar Energy, Vol. 188, pp. 519-532, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2019.06.022.

10.1016/j.solener.2019.06.022
16

Haldar, A., Varshney, L., and Verma, P., Effect of Roughness Parameters on Performance of Solar Air Heater Having Artificial Wavy Roughness Using CFD, Renewable Energy, Vol. 184, pp. 266-279, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.11.088.

10.1016/j.renene.2021.11.088
17

Singh, S., Singh, B., Hans, V. S., and Gill, R. S., CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) Investigation on Nusselt Number and Friction Factor of Solar Air Heater Duct Roughened with Non-Uniform Cross-Section Transvers Rib, Energy, Vol. 84, pp. 509-517, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2015.03.015.

10.1016/j.energy.2015.03.015
18

Kumar, R., Goel, V., and Kumar, A., Investigation of Heat Transfer Augmentation and Friction Factor in Triangular Duct Solar Air Heater Due to Forward Facing Chamfered Rectangular Ribs: A CFD based Analysis, Renewable Energy, Vol. 115, pp. 824-835, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2017.09.010.

10.1016/j.renene.2017.09.010
19

Moon, K. A., Choi, H. U., Kim, Y. B., Son, C. H., Yoon, J. I., and Choi, K. H., Analysis of Heat Transfer Performance According to Installation Conditions of Various Protrusions with Non-uniform Cross-section in Air Space of Air-Type PV/T System, Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 79-92, 2021, https://doi.org/10.7836/kses.2021.41.1.079.

10.7836/kses.2021.41.1.079
20

Mahanand, Y. and Senapati, J. R., Thermo-hydraulic Performance Analysis of a Solar Air Heater (SAH) with Quarter-circular Ribs on The Absorber Plate A Comparative Study, International Journal of Thermal Sciences,Vol. 161, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2020.106747.

10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2020.106747
21

Choi, H. U., Moon, K. A., Kim, S. B., and Choi, K. H., CFD Analysis of the Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow Characteristics Using the Rectangular Rib Attached to the Fin Surface in a Solar Air Heater, Sustainability, Vol. 15, No. 6, 5382, 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065382.

10.3390/su15065382
22

Gee, D. L., and Webb, R. L., Forced Convection Heat Transfer in Helically Rib-roughened Tubes, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 23, No. 8, pp. 1127-1136, 1980, https://doi.org/10.1016/0017-9310(80)90177-5.

10.1016/0017-9310(80)90177-5
Information
  • Publisher :Korean Solar Energy Society
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국태양에너지학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국태양에너지학회 논문집
  • Volume : 46
  • No :1
  • Pages :25-37
  • Received Date : 2025-11-28
  • Revised Date : 2025-12-28
  • Accepted Date : 2026-01-09
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7836/kses.2026.46.1.025
Journal Informaiton Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
Online Submission
  • NRF
  • KOFST
  • crossref crossmark
  • crossref cited-by
  • crosscheck
  • orcid
  • open access
  • ccl
Journal Informaiton Journal Informaiton - close