Performance Evaluation of Novel Heat Pipe‐Assisted Thermal Storage System with Parabolic Trough Solar Collector Using Nanofluid

Abstract

The experimentation has been performed in Central Indian climatic conditions to investigate the performance of the novel heat‐pipe‐assisted thermal storage system with parabolic trough solar collector and nanofluid. The present thermal energy storage system is nanofluid (Al2O3/soybean oil) based and the eutectic mixture of KNO3 and NaNO3 (nitrate salt) in the molar ratio of 40:60 has been used as phase change material to store the heat energy. The system is based on the natural circulation of heat transfer fluid (thermo‐syphon) and the receiver to arrest the solar radiation is parabolic trough solar collector using an evacuated tube. The major and novel incorporation in this system is the heat pipe insertion in the storage unit of the system, which provides better heat transfer, and hence the improved storage capacity is achieved. The final remark of this study has been done with the comparison of the present system with the existing and similar kinds of thermal energy storage systems. For the same charging cycle time and same climatic conditions, the compared value of specific heat storage capacity is 67% higher as compared to the average value of other considered systems.