Case Studies in Thermal Engineering (Sep 2024)
Parabolic trough solar collector technology using TiO2 nanofluids with dimpled tubes
Abstract
Nanoparticle concentrations have recently attracted attention as a means to increase the effectiveness of parabolic trough solar collectors (PTSC). Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study has recently gained popularity for evaluating the performance of PTSC with Dimpled Tubes using a nanofluid made of TiO2 nanoparticles distributed in deionized water (DI-H2O). The effect of using Dimpled Tubes with varied turbulent flow rates, from 0.5 kg/minto 2.5 kg/min, is studied via a battery of tests and computational fluid dynamics simulations. TiO2nanofluid performance is compared to water, the “base fluid,” in this study.This study investigates the utilization of TiO2 nanofluids in enhancing the heat transfer performance of parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC) technology, particularly when integrated with dimpled tubes.The importance of this research lies in the quest for improving the efficiency of solar thermal systems, which is crucial for sustainable energy production.Variables such as solar collector efficiency, Reynolds number, and Nusselt number are tracked as the inquiry progresses. When TiO2 nanofluids are added to the base fluid within the dimpled tube, the convective heat transfer coefficient increases by an astonishing 34.25 percent.This improvement is most pronounced at a mass flow rate of 2.5 kg/min and a volume concentration of TiO2 nanofluid of 0.3 %. Parabolic trough solar collectors have recently been the focus of attempts to improve efficiency via nanoparticle concentrations. The paper uses Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis to investigate how well Dimpled Tubes work with TiO2/DI-H2O nanofluid. The significant increase in the convective heat transfer coefficient was clarified by experimental and CFD calculations that considered fluctuations in turbulent flow rates. The improvement is particularly striking at a mass flow rate and a volume concentration of TiO2 nanofluid.Findingsindicate a significant improvement in heat transfer rates when TiO2 nanofluids are used, particularly in conjunction with dimpled tubes. The combined effect leads to a notable thermal efficiency enhancement, representing the potential of nanofluid-based improvements in optimizing PTSC performance.
