Enhancement of Thermal Efficiency in Gas-Fired Heaters Through a Novel Double-Walled Chimney Design: Experimental and CFD Analysis
Journal Title: Journal of Sustainability for Energy - Year 2023, Vol 2, Issue 3
Abstract
In the Middle East, gas-fired heaters are conventionally favored due to their reliability, cost-effectiveness, and minimal environmental impact. However, the challenges associated with traditional designs, such as low thermal efficiency, high fuel consumption, emissions of environmental pollutants, indoor gas leakage, moisture absorption, uneven heat distribution, and non-compliance with design standards, necessitate innovative solutions. A novel gas-fired heater design is thus presented in this investigation, incorporating a double-walled chimney equipped with an intermediate ejector, blades, and a mesh plate. These components were integrated to enhance the overall performance by optimizing airflow dynamics, thereby improving efficiency and ensuring uniform flame formation. An experimental heater model was constructed, and a series of controlled experiments, along with Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, were performed. The thermal efficiency was found to improve by an average of 10% compared to conventional models, elevating the efficiency from 75% to 85%. This increase was attributed to the preheating of the inlet air in the double chimney, proper air distribution within the combustion chamber through mesh plate application, and the reduction of excess air volume by controlling the air inlet. Enhanced safety was also observed in the proposed design, with no exchange of air with the room, thereby alleviating concerns related to indoor gas leakage and moisture absorption. A minor trade-off was noted with a 3 ppm increase in nitrogen oxides ((NOx) emissions, an effect of reduced excess airflow to the combustion chamber; however, this was deemed acceptable in light of the substantial efficiency increase. Furthermore, the decreased natural gas consumption rendered the model economically attractive. Overall, the proposed gas-fired heater design offers significant potential for improving residential heating systems, addressing environmental issues, and maximizing energy savings, and is aligned with the global pursuit of energy-efficient and sustainable solutions.
Authors and Affiliations
Razieh Abbasgholi Rezaei, Marzieh Khezerloo
Keywords
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- EP ID EP732271
- DOI https://doi.org/10.56578/jse020301
- Views 44
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