To Study the Performance of a Parabolic Solar Collector Using SiO2-H2O and CuO-H2O based Nanofluids

Abstract

Literature shows that work has been done on parabolic solar collector theoretically and numerically using different nanofluids but a very limited experimental work has been reported on it. So, it has been decided to carry out an experimental investigation on parabolic solar collector using nanofluids and compares its performance with conventional fluid (water). Nanofluids used are SiO2-water based and CuO-water based. Nanoparticles volume concentration used in the experiment are 0.01% (vol. conc.) and 0.05% (vol. conc.). The different volume flow rates taken are 20 l/h, 40 l/h and 60 l/h. Nanofluid is prepared without using any surfactant. To make the nanoparticles more stable and remain more dispersed in water, ultra bath sonicator has been used. But before this, stirring is done with the help of magnetic stirrer with hot plate system. Manual tracking mechanism has been used in the experiment to track the sun position during the day. From the results, it has been found that CuO-water based nanofluid is more efficient as compared to SiO2-water based nanofluid and water. Instantaneous efficiency of CuO-water based and SiO2-water based nanofluids at 0.01% (vol. conc.) is found to be upto 2.4%, 6.26%, 10.43% and 2%, 2.64% and 3.25% at volume flow rate of 20 l/h, 40 l/h and 60 l/h more as compared to water. Thermal efficiency of CuO-water based and SiO2-water based nanofluids at 0.01% (vol. conc.) is found to be upto 3.05%, 3.36%, 4.87% and 2%, 2.39% and 1.13% at volume flow rate of 20 l/h, 40 l/h and 60 l/h more as compared to water. Instantaneous efficiency of CuO-water based and SiO2-water based nanofluids at 0.05% (vol. conc.) is found to be upto 3.04%, 7.65%, 12.49% and 1.5%, 2.43% and 6.17% at volume flow rate of 20 l/h, 40 l/h and 60 l/h more as compared to water. Thermal efficiency of CuO-water based and SiO2-water based nanofluids at 0.05% (vol. conc.) is found to be upto 4.34%, 4.12%, 6.6% and 1.41%, 1.78% and 4.13% at volume flow rate of 20 l/h, 40 l/h and 60 l/h more as compared to water. The maximum overall thermal efficiency obtains from water, SiO2-water based and CuO-water based nanofluids is 6.63%, 7.83% and 9.57% respectively. The maximum value for convective heat transfer coefficient and heat removal factor is 406.85W/m2K and 0.9579 respectively in CuO-water based nanofluid at 0.05% (vol. conc.).