I'm starting doing simulations for a solar collector I would like to build (one day). I used Solidworks' FlowXpress for a first test, basically to see how the software works. (later on this requires a full version for heat transfer analysis)
I know that this design is very far from being efficient, just an initial test.
Apparently I don't know anything about fluid movement because I cannot understand the simulation results.
The picture below shows the airflow from one inlet to one outlet. The dimensions of the analyzed air flow space are: width 7.6m (about 25feet), total height 4.8m (about 16feet), depth about 3".
The inlet at lower left edge has an inflow of about 100cfm. The pressure at the outlet is mean atmospheric pressure (about 101kPa)
The velocity seems to be much faster near the edges. Why is that? I expected a more or less continuous airflow from inlet to outlet, widthening in the middel.
I know that this design is very far from being efficient, just an initial test.
Apparently I don't know anything about fluid movement because I cannot understand the simulation results.
The picture below shows the airflow from one inlet to one outlet. The dimensions of the analyzed air flow space are: width 7.6m (about 25feet), total height 4.8m (about 16feet), depth about 3".
The inlet at lower left edge has an inflow of about 100cfm. The pressure at the outlet is mean atmospheric pressure (about 101kPa)
The velocity seems to be much faster near the edges. Why is that? I expected a more or less continuous airflow from inlet to outlet, widthening in the middel.
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