Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector (PTSC) Using Passive Technique and Nanofluids/ Hybrid Nanofluids

Abstract

Numerical analysis on a three-dimensional PTSC receiver’s tube model equipped with conical/wavy turbulators was conducted with various types of nanofluids/hybrid nanofluids. The Navier-Stokes equations were solved using FVM coupled with the MCRT method. The flow, thermal and entropy characteristics of the PTSC’s receiver tube were investigated. This research revealed that the coupling of conical/wavy turbulators and hybrid nanofluids effectively augmented the thermal and exergetic efficiencies and reduced the entropy generation rate compared with pure base-fluid.