Journal
SOLAR ENERGY
Volume 147, Issue -, Pages 381-389Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2017.03.054
Keywords
Nanofluid; Constructal design; Solar energy; Solar collector
Categories
Funding
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia at Mexico [258849 CB-CONACYT 2015]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
We have developed a network of pipes of dendritic geometry in a solar collector with a disc-shaped body. The fluid in the network pipes is a nanofluid composed of a mixture of nanoparticles of alumina (Al2O3) and water as a base fluid in order to harvest a greater amount of thermal energy from incoming solar radiation. The sizes of the network pipes are obtained by using constructal theory methods. Thermal conductivity was obtained by the Hamilton-Crosser model; physical properties such as density and specific heat capacity were described as a function of the volumetric fraction of nanoparticles in the fluid. Optimal size of the network presented for every level of construction was established by the condition of minimal thermal resistance. Temperature profiles and the aspect ratio of the construction elements were defined as a function of the volumetric fraction of nanoparticles. Results show that by increasing the volume fraction of nanoparticles, thermal energy gain also increases, reaching a higher outlet temperature of the fluid when alumina nanoparticles are used. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available