Numerical Study on the Effect of Using CuO-Water Nano fluid as a Heat Transfer Fluid on the Performance of the Parabolic Trough Solar Collector

Abstract

This research displays a numerical study of the effect of CuO-water nanofluid, as heat transfer fluid in compare with the use of pure water, on the performance of a parabolic trough solar collector. The numerical model was implemented by applying the energy balances of the heat collection element (HCE) of a parabolic solar collector in one dimension. The efficiency and the heat losses were calculated, once with pure water and once more with CuO-water nanofluid as a heat transfer fluid (HTF) at different CuO nanoparticles concentrations. The flow rate, ambient temperature, solar radiation, and wind speed were constant. The copper oxide nanoparticle concentrations used in the model were 1%, 3% and 5% of the HTF volume. Numerical results indicate that the using of CuO nanoparticles in suspension with water result in enhancing the efficiency by about 0.444%, 1.26% and 2% in average, and the heat losses have been decreased to about 4.44%, 12.6% and 20% in average at CuO concentrations of 1%, 3% and 5% respectively. The results are also showed that the performance enhancement factor (PEF) of the solar collector was improved by about 13.26% at a concentration of 5%.