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Performance Evaluation of an Absorber Tube of a Parabolic Trough Collector Fitted with Helical Screw Tape Inserts Using CuO/Industrial-Oil Nanofluid: A Computational Study

Author

Listed:
  • Reza Roohi

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Fasa University, Fasa 74616-86131, Iran)

  • Amir Arya

    (School of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71946-84334, Iran)

  • Masoud Akbari

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Fasa University, Fasa 74616-86131, Iran)

  • Mohammad Javad Amiri

    (Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Fasa University, Fasa 74616-86131, Iran)

Abstract

Improvement of the performance of renewable energy harvesters is a crucial and complicated task. Among currently utilized renewable energy harvesters, parabolic solar collectors are some of the most promising and widely used apparatuses. However, researchers are still facing some issues regarding the optimization of PTC performance, including the enhancement of heat flux absorption by the absorber tubes. Among the proposed methods to overcome this drawback, the implementation of helical screw tape (HST) and nanofluids has proven to be most effective. In the present study, the CFD simulation of an absorber tube with HST is conducted. CuO/oil nanofluid with a nanoparticle volume fraction of 1 to 3% was chosen as the working fluid. The simulation is based on the realistic operational condition of a PTC absorber tube with corresponding nonuniform solar heat flux based on the local concentration ratio. The effects of the mass flow rate (Re), HST width and nanofluid volume fraction on pumping power and heat transfer are studied. Moreover, to combine the effect of both parameters, the performance evaluation criterion (PEC), a dimensionless variable, is calculated for all of the studied cases. Enhancement of the PEC parameter by the implementation of nanofluid and HST in comparison to base fluid passing through a plain tube is also determined and reported. According to the obtained results, with the implementation of the CuO/oil nanofluid, the PEC can be enhanced by 57.3–70.8, 68.7~86.4, and 83.4~105.9% for volume fractions of 1, 2, and 3%, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Reza Roohi & Amir Arya & Masoud Akbari & Mohammad Javad Amiri, 2023. "Performance Evaluation of an Absorber Tube of a Parabolic Trough Collector Fitted with Helical Screw Tape Inserts Using CuO/Industrial-Oil Nanofluid: A Computational Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-19, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:13:p:10637-:d:1187767
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Yaghoubi, M. & Azizian, K. & Kenary, A., 2003. "Simulation of Shiraz solar power plant for optimal assessment," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 28(12), pages 1985-1998.
    2. Mohamed Allam & Mohamed Tawfik & Maher Bekheit & Emad El-Negiry, 2022. "Experimental Investigation on Performance Enhancement of Parabolic Trough Concentrator with Helical Rotating Shaft Insert," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-25, November.
    3. Rehman, Naveed ur & Uzair, Muhammad & Asif, Muhammad, 2020. "Evaluating the solar flux distribution uniformity factor for parabolic trough collectors," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 888-896.
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