Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow in A Water-Filled Glass Louver

Abstract

Numerical studies of water flow and heat transfer in a water-flowing glass louver are conducted for harvesting solar thermal energy. The distribution of absorbed solar radiation in the louver is pre-calculated via the Monte Carlo method. The prismatic louver is surrounded by ambient air and subjected to natural convection. The finite element method based on COMSOL is adopted in the simulation of the three-dimensional steady-state laminar flow and conjugate heat transfer with solar energy absorption. Temperature-dependence is considered of water properties including the dynamic viscosity, density, heat capacity and thermal conductivity. Investigation is placed on thermal energy harvest and storage, flow pattern, pressure drop, and temperature change of the water in the louver. Influence of water flowrate is scrutinized.