The President of the Northern Technical University attended part of the discussion of a master’s thesis that addresses improving the performance of a solar air heater collector using advanced techniques.

In support of postgraduate students, the President of the Northern Technical University, Prof. Dr. Alia Abbas Ali Al-Attar, attended part of the discussion of a Technical Master’s thesis in Thermal Engineering Technologies, entitled:

“Improvement the Performance of Solar Air Heater Collector by Modifying Jet Impingement with V-Corrugated Absorber Plate Integrated with Thermal Storage Material behind the Perforation Jet Plate.”

The thesis discussion took place at the Engineering Technical College / Mosul.

The thesis, submitted by researcher Amna Natheer Abdullah, addressed the problem of the low efficiency of conventional solar air heater collectors. This inefficiency results from limited heat transfer between the air and the absorber plate, weak airflow turbulence inside the collector, and the loss of part of the thermal energy when solar radiation decreases or stops due to the absence of an effective thermal energy storage system. These factors directly affect the overall system performance and the efficiency of utilizing solar energy.

The study aimed to improve the thermal performance of the solar air heater collector by developing its design using advanced engineering techniques that enhance heat transfer and increase the efficiency of solar energy utilization. This was achieved by employing Jet Impingement technology to increase airflow turbulence inside the collector.

The study relied on a comprehensive analysis of the thermal, hydraulic, economic, and environmental performance of the proposed system. The economic analysis results indicated a reduction in conventional energy consumption and lower operating costs in the long term, in addition to the possibility of implementing the system using available materials at reasonable cost.

The environmental analysis also showed that developing high-efficiency solar air collectors contributes to reducing environmentally harmful emissions and limiting reliance on fossil fuels, thereby supporting the shift toward renewable energy sources and achieving environmental sustainability.

The thesis concluded that integrating jet impingement technology, a V-corrugated absorber plate, and thermal storage material represents an effective solution for improving the overall performance of solar air heater collectors and increasing their operational efficiency.

The thesis recommended conducting future studies to further develop the system by using different thermal storage materials and examining the effect of other geometric shapes of absorber plates. It also recommended advanced numerical modeling and computer simulations to analyze performance under various operating conditions, in addition to applying the proposed design in practical fields such as heating systems, agricultural product drying, and thermal industrial applications.

The discussion committee consisted of:

Prof. Dr. Ihsan Fadel Abbas – Chairman

Asst. Prof. Dr. Qais Abdul Yousif – Member

Asst. Prof. Dr. Iyad Salman Abdullah – Member

Prof. Dr. Omar Rafea Mahmoud – Member and Supervisor