Abstract
In this research paper, the solar irradiance of flat plate solar collector was evaluated using experimental and numerical analysis. In the experiment, an automatic solar simulator was designed and built to simulate the solar irradiance.The simulator was controlled by an Arduino board. The light source and fabrication of the simulator were used for a wide range of testing and the comparison was made between different cases. The test was performed on a flat plate double glazing solar collector with different base fluids; ethylene glycol (EG), glycerine, and water. To enhance the heat transfer, Al2O3 nanoparticles having a diameter of 20 nm were added. In order to investigate the effect of volume fraction on the heat absorption, three-volume fractions, 0.2%, 0.45, and 0.6%, were used in this study. Laminar flow was considered with a flow rate of 1 L/min. Solar irradiance was measured from 11:00 to 13:00 on September 25th, 2016. COMSOL 5.2a was used in a numerical analysis of flat plate solar collector. A good agreement between numerical and experimental for all cases was observed. The maximum temperature difference between inlet and outlet was found when the (water/ Al2O3) was used as a working fluid at a volume fraction of 0.6%.
Highlights
Finding other resources to produce energy rather than relying on conventional fossil fuels are very important for many reasons
The results showed that the enhancement in collector efficiency for 1.5 and 2 L/min flow rate of nanofluid was 8.1% and 4.2% respectively
The results showed that the efficiency of the collector at 0.05 % wt. is 24% more than that of the pure base fluids and the maximum efficiency was observed during the solar noon for all samples
Summary
Finding other resources to produce energy rather than relying on conventional fossil fuels are very important for many reasons. Economic prospects are very important in energy production, reducing the cost of producing energy can improve the economy of a country or a company It has been relied widely on fossil fuels in energy production in the last two centuries. The effect of (Al2O3/water) nanofluid, as working fluid, on the performance of a flat-plate solar collector was investigated experimentally. K.et al, 2015) investigated the effect of using (Al2O3/water) nanofluids as heat transfer fluid with various flow rates, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 L/min, and volume fractions of 0.005%. The results showed that the enhancement in collector efficiency for 1.5 and 2 L/min flow rate of nanofluid was 8.1% and 4.2% respectively. The results showed that the efficiency of the collector at 0.05 % wt. is 24% more than that of the pure base fluids and the maximum efficiency was observed during the solar noon for all samples
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