Comprehensive analysis on copper-iron (II, III)/oxide-engine oil Casson nanofluid flowing and thermal features in parabolic trough solar collector

Abstract

Heat is absorbed from radiations of the sun by a solar collector, concentrated, and then transmitted to an active nanofluid. The flow of Casson nanofluid is utilized in Parabolic Trough Solar Collector (PTSC) in the present analysis over an infinite and porous sheet. Ordinary differential equations are derived in nonlinear form and solved using suitable similarity transformation reducing into boundary conditions. Keller box method was employed to solve the system of ODEs. Results for nanofluids of Copper-engine oil (Cu-EO), as well as Iron (II, III) oxide-engine oil (Fe3O4-EO), were examined and detailed. With the help of the induced magnetic factor, the rate of heat transfer decreased while the parameter of skin resistance increased prominently. While using Cu/Fe3O4-EO as base fluid, the rate of heat transfer is an important factor. Total enhancement in the thermal efficiency of Cu-EO on Fe3O4-EO has a minimum value of 2.7% while the maximum value is 18.5%.

Keywords

• solar energy
• parabolic trough solar collector
• steady flow
• casson-nanofluid
• variable thermal conductivity
• keller box method