Providing roughness is an effective method to heat fluids to high temperature. Present paper make use of concave dimple roughness on one and three sides of roughened ducts aimed at determining rise in heat transfer and friction of three sides over one side roughened duct. Three sides roughened duct produces high heat transfer compared to one side roughened. Results are shown as a rise in Nusselt number and friction factor of three sides over one side roughened duct. Experimental investigation was conducted under actual outdoor condition at National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur, India to test various sets of roughened collectors. Roughness parameter varied as relative roughness pitch 8–15, relative roughness height 0.018–0.045, dimple depth to diameter ratio 1–2, Reynolds number 2500–13500 at fixed aspect ratio (width/hight) 8. Highest enhancement in Nusselt number for varying relative roughness pitch, height, and diameter ratio was respectively found as 2.6 to 3.55 times, 1.91 to 3.42 times and 3.09 to 3.94 times compared to one side dimple roughened duct. Highest rise in friction for three sides over one side roughened duct for these varying parameters was respectively found as 1.62 to 2.79 times, 1.52 to 2.34 times and 2.21 to 2.56 times. To visualize the effect of roughness parameter on heat transfer and friction factor, variation in Nusselt number and friction factor for varying roughness parameters with Reynolds number is shown.

The present paper describes the experimental analysis of heat transfer and friction factor for glass protected three-side artificially roughened rectangular duct solar air heaters (SAHs) having an arrangement of multiple-v and transverse wires (top wall multi-v and two side walls transverse) under the absorber plate, and compares their performance with that of one-side roughened solar air heaters under similar operating conditions. The investigated three-side solar air heaters are characterized by a larger rate of heat transfer and friction factor as compared to one-side artificially roughened SAHs by 24–76% and 4–36%, respectively, for the identical operating parameters. The air temperature below the three-side rugged duct is by 34.6% higher than that of the one-side roughened duct. Three-side solar air heaters are superior as compared to one-side artificially roughened solar air heaters qualitatively and quantitatively both.

Artificial roughness has been found to enhance the thermal performance from the collector to air in the solar air heater duct. This paper presents the results of experimental investigation on thermal performance of three sides solar air heater roughened with combination of multiple-v and transverse wire. The range of variation of system and operating parameters is investigated within the limits of relative roughness pitch of 10−25, relative roughness height of 0.018−0.042, angle of attack of 30°−75° at varying flow Reynolds number in the of range of 3000−12000 for fixed value of relative roughness width of 6. The augmentation in fluid temperature flowing under three side’s roughened duct is found to be 36.57% more than that of one side roughened duct. The maximum thermal efficiency is obtained at relative roughness pitch of 10 and relative roughness height of 0.042, and angle of attack of 60°. The augmentation in thermal efficiency of three sides over those of one side roughened duct is found to be 46−57% for varying values of relative roughness pitch, 38−50% for varying values of relative roughness height, and 40−46% for varying values of angle of attack.