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Experimental investigation of Al2O3/water nanofluids on the effectiveness of solar flat-plate collectors with and without twisted tape inserts

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  • Sundar, L. Syam
  • Singh, Manoj K.
  • Punnaiah, V.
  • Sousa, Antonio C.M.

Abstract

The thermal effectiveness of solar water heaters can be enhanced if passive heat transfer enhancement techniques are used. Among the most effective passive heat transfer enhancement techniques are the increase of the working fluid thermal conductivity and of its flow turbulence. In this paper, Al2O3 nanofluids and twisted tape inserts are the passive techniques used to enhance the heat transfer and, consequently the thermal effectiveness of the solar water heater. In the solar water heating system considered in this study, the collector is essentially mimicked by a tube with or without a twisted tape, with water or nanofluids flowing through it. Results of the heat transfer experiments indicate that for a Reynolds number of 13000 the heat transfer enhancement for 0.3% volume concentration of nanofluid is 21% for the plain tube and it is further enhanced to 49.75% when a twisted tape of H/D = 5 is inserted in the tube. The maximum friction penalty of 1.25-times was observed for 0.3% nanofluid with H/D = 5 when compared to water in a plain collector. The thermal effectiveness of the plain collector is enhanced to 58%, when the 0.3% nanofluid is used and it is further enhanced to 76% with a twisted tape of H/D = 5 at a mass flow rate of 0.083 kg/s. Solar water heaters, in which the collectors have twisted tape inserts and use nanofluids, have thermal performance increases that largely outweigh pressure drop losses. Under the same operating conditions, the nanofluids/twisted tape inserts collector outperforms that with water and no twisted tapes.

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  • Sundar, L. Syam & Singh, Manoj K. & Punnaiah, V. & Sousa, Antonio C.M., 2018. "Experimental investigation of Al2O3/water nanofluids on the effectiveness of solar flat-plate collectors with and without twisted tape inserts," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 820-833.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:119:y:2018:i:c:p:820-833
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2017.10.056
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    1. R. M. Mostafizur & M. G. Rasul & M. N. Nabi, 2021. "Energy and Exergy Analyses of a Flat Plate Solar Collector Using Various Nanofluids: An Analytical Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-19, July.
    2. Tembhare, Saurabh P. & Barai, Divya P. & Bhanvase, Bharat A., 2022. "Performance evaluation of nanofluids in solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    3. Maadi, Seyed Reza & Navegi, Ali & Solomin, Evgeny & Ahn, Ho Seon & Wongwises, Somchai & Mahian, Omid, 2021. "Performance improvement of a photovoltaic-thermal system using a wavy-strip insert with and without nanofluid," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    4. Elwekeel, Fifi N.M. & Abdala, Antar M.M., 2023. "Numerical and experimental investigation of the performance of a new circular flat plate collector," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C), pages 581-590.
    5. Farshad, Seyyed Ali & Sheikholeslami, M., 2019. "Nanofluid flow inside a solar collector utilizing twisted tape considering exergy and entropy analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 246-258.
    6. Pisarevsky, M.I. & Struchalin, P.G. & Balakin, B.V. & Kutsenko, K.V. & Maslov, Y.A., 2024. "Experimental study of nanofluid heat transfer for geothermal applications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    7. Gao, Datong & Zhong, Shuai & Ren, Xiao & Kwan, Trevor Hocksun & Pei, Gang, 2022. "The energetic, exergetic, and mechanical comparison of two structurally optimized non-concentrating solar collectors for intermediate temperature applications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 881-898.
    8. Evangelisti, Luca & De Lieto Vollaro, Roberto & Asdrubali, Francesco, 2019. "Latest advances on solar thermal collectors: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-1.
    9. Abu-Hamdeh, Nidal H. & Bantan, Rashad A.R. & Khoshvaght-Aliabadi, Morteza & Alimoradi, Ashkan, 2020. "Effects of ribs on thermal performance of curved absorber tube used in cylindrical solar collectors," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 1260-1275.
    10. Sheikholeslami, M. & Farshad, Seyyed Ali, 2021. "Investigation of solar collector system with turbulator considering hybrid nanoparticles," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 1128-1158.
    11. Ghasemian, Mehran & Sheikholeslami, M. & Dehghan, Maziar, 2023. "Performance improvement of photovoltaic/thermal systems by using twisted tapes in the coolant tubes with different cross-section patterns," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    12. Sharafeldin, M.A. & Gróf, Gyula, 2019. "Efficiency of evacuated tube solar collector using WO3/Water nanofluid," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 453-460.
    13. Murugan, M. & Vijayan, R. & Saravanan, A. & Jaisankar, S., 2019. "Performance enhancement of centrally finned twist inserted solar collector using corrugated booster reflectors," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 858-869.
    14. Gao, Datong & Li, Jing & Ren, Xiao & Hu, Tianxiang & Pei, Gang, 2022. "A novel direct steam generation system based on the high-vacuum insulated flat plate solar collector," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 966-977.
    15. Joo, Hong-Jin & Kwak, Hee-Youl & Kong, Minsuk, 2022. "Effect of twisted tape inserts on thermal performance of heat pipe evacuated-tube solar thermal collector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PB).

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