Optimization of solar chimney performance through CFD modeling and parametric experimental design

Abstract

This study presents a detailed parametric evaluation of solar chimney performance by combining computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations with advanced design-of-experiments (DOE) techniques. The analysis focuses on the effects of chimney height, collector-to-chimney AR, chimney geometry, and construction material under realistic environmental conditions. CFD modeling was used to compute airflow, temperature rise, and the resulting buoyancy-driven updraft, while DOE procedures enabled the structured assessment of main effects and interaction effects across geometric factors. The results indicate that larger collector areas relative to chimney cross-section (high AR) and the use of a divergent chimney configuration significantly enhance updraft velocity and mechanical power generation. The configuration with a 30 m chimney and AR = 6 produced an updraft of approximately 12–13 m/s and a power output close to 15 kW, representing the highest performance among all simulated cases. Important interactions between AR and chimney geometry were identified, confirming that single-factor analyses may overlook coupled behaviours relevant to system optimization. These findings offer concise design guidance for enhancing solar chimney performance under local climatic conditions and confirm the feasibility of small, well-optimized systems as a clean-energy option in high-irradiation regions. The analysis is based on steady-state simulations, which inherently simplify real conditions.

Keywords

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) / Solar chimney power plant / Experimental design / Numerical simulation / Performance optimization / Renewable energy systems

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