Performance analysis of hybrid solar collector employing manganese oxide-water based nano fluid coolant

Abstract

This research investigates the thermal performance of manganese oxide-water-based nanofluids as a coolant in a hybrid collector. The efficiency of solar PV units decreases with increasing cell temperatures. Only 12% of the solar energy received is converted to electricity, and the remaining part is lost as heat. Water and nanofluids are coolants to maintain PV cell temperatures as low as possible. The research aims to design and develop a hybrid collector with nanofluid as a coolant in the system. The system has been evaluated by electrical, thermal, and overall energy efficiencies. The hybrid collector was examined at two different volume flow rates, 0.5 and 1.0 Liter per minute (LPM), to get optimal system performance. Maximum thermal efficiencies of hybrid collectors were 48.1 % and 53.8 % at the volume flow rates of 0.5 LPM and 1.0 LPM, respectively. The maximum electrical efficiencies of the hybrid collector were 18.32 % and 19.35 % at the volume flow rates of 0.5 LPM and 1.0 LPM, respectively. These findings indicate that nanofluid offers better thermal conductivity than the base fluid, with a very small increase in fluid flow rate.