Abstract
In this study, the efficiencies of flat-plate and U-tube solar collectors were investigated experimentally when an Al2O3 nanofluid was used as a working fluid and compared to those of solar collectors using water. The energy savings and CO2 and SO2 generated were calculated and compared to those of solar collectors using water. In addition, based on the experimental results, an economic analysis of the use of solar collectors in various countries was performed. As the concentration of the Al2O3 nanofluid increased, the performance of the solar collector improved. The highest efficiency for the solar collectors was shown at the concentration of 1.0 vol % with the nanoparticle size of 20 nm. The maximum efficiencies of the flat-plate and U-tube solar collectors using a 1.0 vol %-Al2O3 nanofluid with 20-nm nanoparticles was 74.9% and 72.4%, respectively, when the heat loss parameter was zero. The efficiencies of the flat-plate and U-tube solar collectors using Al2O3 nanofluid were 14.8% and 10.7% higher, respectively, than those using water. When 50 EA (each) flat-plate solar collectors were operated for one year using an Al2O3 nanofluid, the coal use, generated CO2, and generated SO2 were 189.99 kg, 556.69 kg, and 2.03 kg less than those of solar collectors using water, respectively. In addition, the largest electricity cost reduction was in Germany.
Highlights
Because of the population growth and industrial development in the world, the use of energy and fossil fuel has increased
Figure shows efficiency variations in the flat-plate and U-tube solar collectors according to the nanoparticle sizes when the mass flow rate of the working fluid and the concentration of the
The experimental results and the efficiency of the solar collector decreased as the heat loss parameter increased
Summary
Because of the population growth and industrial development in the world, the use of energy and fossil fuel has increased. The continuous use of fossil fuels produces environmental pollutants, such as CO2 and SO2 , and these pollutants affect climate change and cause various environmental problems, such as accelerated global warming. Many countries signed the Paris Climate Change Accord on 12 December 2015 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the annual average temperature increase of the earth, and to maintain a low temperature increase. Numerous studies on the development and application of various renewable energies have been performed. Solar energy is a renewable energy with unlimited energy, unlike fossil fuels, and has various advantages; for example, it is not concentrated in a specific area, and does not cause environmental pollution. A solar collector can be classified as a flat-plate solar collector, an evacuated-tube solar collector, or a parabolic solar collector
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