Modeling, simulation and experimental validation of a typical flat plate air-heating collector for drying purposes

An experimental and numerical study about a typical solar air collector is presented. Transfer equations are deduced from thermal balance on each component of the solar collector. The numerical model is validated with experiments performed with a typical air collector; realized and tested under meteorological condition of Algiers, Algeria. Results obtained, for a collecting area A_C = 2 m² and air flow rate varying between 0.05 to 3 kg s^-1, show that the average efficiency of the solar collector reaches 50% and the outlet temperature is varying between 40-50 °C. The discrepancies between outlet air temperature measured and computed is approximately 8%.