Sensitivity analysis of the thermal performance of a parabolic trough concentrator using Al2O3 and SiO2/Vegetable oil as heat transfer fluid
Venant Sorel Chara-Dackou,
Donatien Njomo,
René Tchinda,
Yvon Simplice Kondji,
Mahamat Hassane Babikir,
Hermann Chopkap Noume,
Boris Abeli Pekarou Pemi,
Armel Zambou Kenfack,
Ibrahim Ngapouth Mbouombouo
Affiliations
Venant Sorel Chara-Dackou
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon; Carnot Energy Laboratory (CEL), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Bangui, P.O. Box 1450, Bangui, Central African Republic; Corresponding author. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon.
Donatien Njomo
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
René Tchinda
University Institute of Technology Fotso Victor of Bandjoun, University of Dschang, Cameroon
Yvon Simplice Kondji
Carnot Energy Laboratory (CEL), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Bangui, P.O. Box 1450, Bangui, Central African Republic
Mahamat Hassane Babikir
Department of Physics, University of N'djamena, P.O. Box 1117, N'Djamena, Chad
Hermann Chopkap Noume
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
Boris Abeli Pekarou Pemi
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
Armel Zambou Kenfack
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
Ibrahim Ngapouth Mbouombouo
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
This paper aims to highlight the use of different heat transfer fluid (HTF) configurations based on vegetable oils in Parabolic Trough Solar Concentrator (PTSC). Rapeseed and jatropha oils as innovative heat transfer materials combined with SiO2 and Al2O3 to obtain six (6) HTF configurations are used in a 1-dimensional PTSC model. The thermophysical properties of the nanofluids are determined from correlations derived from the literature, using Gauss-Seidel method from a numerical code developed in Matlab software. Model validation is obtained. Thermal sensitivity analysis shows that the use of rapeseed increases the thermal efficiency of the PTSC by around 4.21 % compared with jatropha. The use of nanofluids reduces thermal losses within the system due to thermal gradients. For a fixed irradiance and each 1 %–4 % increase in volume fraction, thermal efficiency increases by around 1.96 % when Al2O3/rapeseed is used and by 0.47 % when SiO2/rapeseed is used compared with rapeseed. Similarly, thermal efficiency increases by around 1.98 % when Al2O3/jatropha is used and decreases by around 0.20 % when SiO2/jatropha is used compared with jatropha. However, the positive effects of nanoparticles on thermal conductivity alone are not always sufficient to improve thermal efficiency, and thermal effects on heat capacity should also be considered.
