Enhanced efficiency in Concentrated Parabolic Solar Collector (CPSC) with a porous absorber tube filled with metal nanoparticle suspension

Abstract

In this study, effects of different nanoparticles and porosity of absorber tube on the performance of a Concentrating Parabolic Solar Collector (CPSC) were investigated. A section of porous-filled absorber tube was modeled as a semi-circular cavity under the solar radiation which is filled by nanofluids and the governing equations were solved by FlexPDE numerical software. The effect of four physical parameters, nanoparticles type, nanoparticles volume fraction (φ), Darcy number (Da) and Rayleigh number (Ra), on the Nusselt number (Nu) was discussed. It turns out that Cu nanoparticle is the most suitable one for such solar collectors, compared to the commonly used Fe3O4, Al2O3, TiO2. With the increased addition of Cu nanoparticles all the parameters φ, Da and Ra shows a significant increase against the Nu, indicates the enhanced heat transfer in such cases. As a result, low concentration of Cu nanoparticle suspension combined with porous matrix was supposed to be beneficial for the performance enhancement of concentrating parabolic solar collector. Keywords: Concentrating parabolic solar collector, Porous absorber tube, Nanofluid, Nusselt number, Finite Element Method