Performance analysis of radiant heaters in terms of thermal conditions, energy consumption and contaminant distribution under asymmetric flow field in an industrial environment

In the present study, the performance of three arrangements of high temperature radiant heaters (single radiant heater, couple radiant heaters with the same powers and couple radiant heaters with the different powers) in presence of asymmetric flow field has been investigated. The aim is to evaluate their performance in providing uniform thermal conditions, energy consumption and contaminant distribution. For this reason, a sample industrial environment with one inlet and outlet opening has been considered. For the mentioned conditions, continuity equation, momentum equations, energy equation, radiative transfer equations and species concentration equation have been solved by OpenFoam numerical solver. Also, energy consumption has been evaluated. The results show 13% decrease in energy consumption and minimum amount of contaminant concentration while using single radiant heater. However, maximum floor temperature distribution deviation is noticed in this case. Furthemore, results indicate that the best arrangement is utilizing couple radiant heaters with different powers, sincethe temperature drop (due of asymmetric flow field) compensates and it has the minimum floor temperature distribution deviation Moreover, In terms of energy consumption and average of contaminant concentration, it is similar to couple radiant heaters with the same powers.