Numerical analysis of porous flat plate solar collector under thermal radiation and hybrid nanoparticles using two-phase model

Abstract

Solar collectors will play a very important role in absorbing solar renewable energy for use in various industries in the future of the world. This study looks at the resulting combination of using porous medium and hybrid nanofluids, in the presence of thermal radiation, on the thermo-hydrodynamic features, heat transfer, supply temperature, and hybrid nanoparticles’ distribution within a horizontal flat plate solar collector. The two-phase approach is considered for modelling. The migration of Ag-Al2O3 hybrid nanoparticles due to the Brownian motion and thermophoresis effects was also taken into account. The set of governing equation was numerically solved employing the finite element method. The investigation is performed by reporting the roles of hybrid nanofluid concentration, porosity coefficient, Darcy number, Reynolds number, porous media to hybrid nanofluid thermal conductivity ratio, Brownian motion parameter, thermophoretic parameter, radiation parameter, and Schmidt number. The results indicate that The high values of porosity coefficient, radiation parameter, conductivity ratio, and thermophoretic parameter ameliorate thermophoresis effects, and therefore, a high concentration of nanoparticles was observed near the bottom part of the collector, especially at low Reynolds. Also, Employing hybrid nanofluid lead to a decrease in the heat transfer rate and slightly raised the supply temperature at low Re.