Abstract
Solar energy is the best alternative to limited fossil fuels. The foremost important means of utilizing solar energy are solar collectors. The most common types of solar collectors are flat plate solar collectors. A great deal of theoretical research has been conducted to enhance the flat plate solar collector efficiency. One effective way to increase the efficiency is by using an improved thermal properties fluid as nanofluid. In this paper, a numerical study has been made to enhance the efficiency and improve the performance of solar collector via the use of (Multi-Wall Carbon Nano Tube-water) MWCNT-H2O nanofluid instead of traditional fluid like water as working fluid under the weather of Mosul city / Iraq (36.3489° N, 43.1577° E). One dimensional dynamic model using implicit finite difference method was used. Solving energy conservation equations through the various layers of the solar system is the basis upon which the current model was based. Effects of nanoparticle volume fraction and mass flow rate on the working fluid stream temperature differences, and the thermal efficiency were studied. The mass flow rate was varied from 0.004 kg/s to 0.03 kg/s, while the volume fraction was varied from 0% to 6%. The results of "Nanofluid Based Flat Plate Solar Collector" were compared with the experimental results presented by [1]. The comparison established a good match between the current results and experimental results. The results showed an increase in the working fluid outlet and inlet temperature difference and collector thermal efficiency due to the addition of MWCNT nanoparticles. The temperature difference of "Nanofluid Based Flat Plate Solar Collector" was found 28.8⁰C at 0.014 kg/s and 6% in April, while it was 25 ⁰C at the same condition in the "Water Based Flat Plate Solar Collector case". Also, the thermal efficiency of "Nanofluid Based Flat Plate Solar Collector" was found 2.41% to 6.68% more than the "Water Based Flat Plate Solar Collector case".
Highlights
In the last decade, as a result of low fuel resources and environmental concerns about air pollution and international warming, increased interest in the use of solar energy has been aided by continued decline and a rapid rate of total cost of solar energy applications
The standard flat plate solar collector consists of an insulation box with a high conductivity metal plate inside it, such as aluminium or copper called absorber plate, connected to the absorber plate tubes, and sometimes the tubes are integrated with the plate
Numerous experiments were conducted by different researchers on the flat plate solar collector to test the effect of the use of nanofluids as a substitute for conventional fluids, where the results showed an increase in the rate of heat transfer in the solar collectors as a result of the use of nanofluids [5]
Summary
As a result of low fuel resources and environmental concerns about air pollution and international warming, increased interest in the use of solar energy has been aided by continued decline and a rapid rate of total cost of solar energy applications. The most common collector types for solar water heating systems are flat plate solar collectors [2]. The standard flat plate solar collector consists of an insulation box with a high conductivity metal plate inside it, such as aluminium or copper called absorber plate, connected to the absorber plate tubes, and sometimes the tubes are integrated with the plate. The insulation box reduces heat loss from the sides of the collector or behind it. These collectors are wont to heat a liquid or air to temperatures under eighty °C [3]. Conventional fluids used in solar collectors have bad thermal properties. Many studies have tended to use another class of working fluids called 'Nanofluid' as a substitute for conventional fluids, which have improved
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