The effect of single and hybrid nanofluids in the performance of Solar Water Heating System

Abstract

In the present study, the feasibility of using single particle Cu and hybrid Cu/Al2O3 nanofluids as heat transfer fluids in a coupled solar parabolic trough collector-heat water storage tank for domestic absorption cooling systems. A computer program based on one dimensional implicit finite difference method and energy balance approach has been developed to investigate the behavior of the studied system under the real climate conditions of a typical summer day in Adrar city, Algeria. The simulation findings reveal that solar parabolic trough collector with small area of 6m² and storage tank of 0.3m3 can ensure higher storage tank temperature able to drive an absorption cooling machine. Solar system with hybrid nanofluid shows superior performance compared to single nanofluid and pure water. Furthermore, the effect of nanoparticle's volume fraction is evaluated. The heat storage tank temperature can attain starting operating chiller temperature more rapidly with small volume fraction equal to 0.2% in the case of Cu-Al2O3/Water hybrid nanofluid.