Effects of combined radiation and forced convection on a directly capturing solar energy system
Effects of combined radiation and forced convection on a directly capturing solar energy system
In this study, the photo-thermal conversion performance of volumetrically heated solar collector with mono-nanoparticle and hybrid-nanoparticle filled fluids desired for a direct solar energy system is numerically investigated. Considering the scattering and absorption characteristics of the heat transfer fluid in the translucent medium, its thermal performance in the collector is analysed solving the radiative transport, energy, and Navier-Stokes equations. A systematic parametric study is conducted by selectively changing the fluid type, volume concentration nanoparticle, operating temperature, and collector length to evaluate their influence on the thermal capacity of the collector. The results reveal that the use of nanoparticles and the increase in volume concentration improves the solar energy absorption capacity of the heat transfer nanofluids, thus increasing the photo-thermal conversion performance. Besides, it is found that the increase in the fluid inlet temperature increases the heat losses, resulting in a decrease in the amount of usable heat generated from solar energy. Furthermore, although the heat gain and useful heat generation of the fluid increase as the collector length increases, the thermal performance of the collector decreases due to increasing heat losses. Moreover, it is shown that the performance evaluation criterion (PEC) of water-based Graphite, TiO2 and Ag mono nanofluids is 1.6, 1.56, and 1.43, respectively while water-based Graphite + MgO, TiO2 + MgO and Ag + MgO blended nanofluids is 1.68, 1.66, and 1.58, respectively. Because the blended nanoparticles increase the solar energy absorption capacity, both the thermal performance of the collector and the sensible energy storage capacity are enhanced. The findings of the study suggest that hybrid nanofluids can be considered as an effective heat transfer fluid that can be used in solar energy applications.
Kazaz, Oguzhan
b65e657a-d5a0-41cd-9b0c-6e225a9f1a71
Karimi, Nader
620646d6-27c9-4e1e-948f-f23e4a1e773a
Kumar, Shanmugam
c3d461c7-96cb-437d-8f05-0e7334c8fcb6
Falcone, Gioia
fb4d33d8-5415-4ddd-8832-4eaab18f72d4
Paul, Manosh C.
fbb523c5-ff1d-4609-8327-0175d3c9e5b3
21 March 2023
Kazaz, Oguzhan
b65e657a-d5a0-41cd-9b0c-6e225a9f1a71
Karimi, Nader
620646d6-27c9-4e1e-948f-f23e4a1e773a
Kumar, Shanmugam
c3d461c7-96cb-437d-8f05-0e7334c8fcb6
Falcone, Gioia
fb4d33d8-5415-4ddd-8832-4eaab18f72d4
Paul, Manosh C.
fbb523c5-ff1d-4609-8327-0175d3c9e5b3
Kazaz, Oguzhan, Karimi, Nader, Kumar, Shanmugam, Falcone, Gioia and Paul, Manosh C.
(2023)
Effects of combined radiation and forced convection on a directly capturing solar energy system.
Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, 40, [101797].
(doi:10.1016/j.tsep.2023.101797).
Abstract
In this study, the photo-thermal conversion performance of volumetrically heated solar collector with mono-nanoparticle and hybrid-nanoparticle filled fluids desired for a direct solar energy system is numerically investigated. Considering the scattering and absorption characteristics of the heat transfer fluid in the translucent medium, its thermal performance in the collector is analysed solving the radiative transport, energy, and Navier-Stokes equations. A systematic parametric study is conducted by selectively changing the fluid type, volume concentration nanoparticle, operating temperature, and collector length to evaluate their influence on the thermal capacity of the collector. The results reveal that the use of nanoparticles and the increase in volume concentration improves the solar energy absorption capacity of the heat transfer nanofluids, thus increasing the photo-thermal conversion performance. Besides, it is found that the increase in the fluid inlet temperature increases the heat losses, resulting in a decrease in the amount of usable heat generated from solar energy. Furthermore, although the heat gain and useful heat generation of the fluid increase as the collector length increases, the thermal performance of the collector decreases due to increasing heat losses. Moreover, it is shown that the performance evaluation criterion (PEC) of water-based Graphite, TiO2 and Ag mono nanofluids is 1.6, 1.56, and 1.43, respectively while water-based Graphite + MgO, TiO2 + MgO and Ag + MgO blended nanofluids is 1.68, 1.66, and 1.58, respectively. Because the blended nanoparticles increase the solar energy absorption capacity, both the thermal performance of the collector and the sensible energy storage capacity are enhanced. The findings of the study suggest that hybrid nanofluids can be considered as an effective heat transfer fluid that can be used in solar energy applications.
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Accepted/In Press date: 10 March 2023
e-pub ahead of print date: 16 March 2023
Published date: 21 March 2023
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Local EPrints ID: 508937
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/508937
ISSN: 2451-9049
PURE UUID: 3a4b73b0-8efa-437e-b8d8-7e95b4327645
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Date deposited: 06 Feb 2026 17:55
Last modified: 07 Feb 2026 03:34
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Contributors
Author:
Oguzhan Kazaz
Author:
Nader Karimi
Author:
Shanmugam Kumar
Author:
Gioia Falcone
Author:
Manosh C. Paul
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