Influence of spinning flower structure inserts in the thermal performance of LS-2 model of parabolic trough collector with ternary hybrid nanofluid

Abstract

Parabolic solar trough collector is the most widely accepted technology to use inexhaustible energy. Present research work proposed LS-2 model of parabolic trough collector with various spinning flower inserts and three particles based nanofluid as a heat-carrying medium. Main intention of this examination is to lower the temperature gradient in fluid flow and provide uniform distribution of heat flux on the receiver's outermost surface. A total of ten cases of PTC are examined in ANSYS 22 Fluent. Nine steady receivers are equipped with spinning flower inserts and one without inserts. Hybrid nanofluids with 1% vol. content are attained by blending aluminum oxide, copper oxide, and graphene oxide with water as base fluid. This evolution focuses on the consideration of spinning inserts in the receiver with a range of speed from 0 to 15 rad/s. The flow rate is from 0.016 kg/s - 0.033 kg/s respectively. Highest enhancement for thermal efficiency and heat transfer coefficient are 30.87% and 98.34% for case-9 at 15 rad/s inserts speed than receiver without inserts using nanofluid-6 at 0.033 kg/s. Under the same condition, the highest increment for the pump work requirement is 21.29% for case-9 than receiver without inserts. This means increment of pump work is insignificant than thermal performance improvements.