Particle Optimization of Ceo2/Water Nanofluids in Flat Plate Solar Collector

Abstract

The present research focuses on the role of CeO2/water nanofluid for estimating the performance of flat plate solar collector in respect of energetic and exergetic performance. Based on our experimental findings on varying mass flow rate, the present analysis focuses on a wide range of concentrations to find optimum volume concentration for which thermal performance is maximum. CeO2/water nanofluid exhibits high thermal conductivity improvement (~41.7%at 1.5% volume concentration) and comparatively lower dynamic viscosity. Performance evaluation of flat plate collector is based on first law analysis and qualitative nature of energy flow based on second law analysis. Experiments indicate that for~1.0% particle volume concentration at a mass flow rate of 0.03 kg/s, maximum collector efficiency is obtained up to 57.1% instead of water as the base fluid. Exergetic efficiency observed 84.6%at optimum concentration (~1.0% particle volume) of nanofluid at0.01 kg/s flow rate.