Studying the Effectiveness of Solar Thermal Collectors Using Nanofluid

Year : 2025 | Volume : 16 | Issue : 03 | Page : 35 41
    By

    Rone,

  1. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Echelon Institute of Technology, Haryana, India

Abstract

Energy plays a crucial role in the technological growth that humanity is now experiencing. However, new avenues for energy generation and consumption have also been made possible by this advancement in science and technology. Another major factor driving up energy needs is an increase in population density. Carbon footprints are being left on the environment by fossil fuels, which are running out more quickly. Dependence on renewable energy sources, which are limitless, environmentally benign, and widely accessible in nature, is unavoidable in this situation. Effective use of solar energy is a feasible substitute for all other renewable energy sources in order to satisfy the rising demand for energy, especially for applications requiring low temperatures. Although using solar energy for a variety of household purposes is not new, it is now experiencing issues with decreased effective energy conversion. The apparatus that collects incoming solar energy and transforms it into a usable form is called a solar collector. The most notable devices among the several types of collectors for converting incoming radiation into working fluid thermal energy are solar flat plate collectors (SFPC). There are two main strategies for increasing the thermal efficiency of collectors: altering the working fluid’s characteristics or modifying the shape and operating settings. The current work focuses on improving the thermophysical and optical properties of the working fluid by suspending nanoparticles as a method for efficiently converting solar radiation into useful heat energy, because various geometrical and operating parameters and modifications are more or less saturated. Thermophysical characteristics and their impact on SFPC’s thermal performance are evaluated using empirical correlations found in the public domain, and the results of experiments are compared. A significant discrepancy between the analytical and experimental results is seen. Therefore, a careful analysis of each parameter’s impact on collector efficiency is conducted. Every working fluid’s viscosity and thermal conductivity are evaluated experimentally and compared to the current correlations.

Keywords: Solar flat plate collector, solar device, solar air heaters, solar energy

[This article belongs to Journal of Experimental & Applied Mechanics ]

How to cite this article:
Rone. Studying the Effectiveness of Solar Thermal Collectors Using Nanofluid. Journal of Experimental & Applied Mechanics. 2025; 16(03):35-41.
How to cite this URL:
Rone. Studying the Effectiveness of Solar Thermal Collectors Using Nanofluid. Journal of Experimental & Applied Mechanics. 2025; 16(03):35-41. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/joeam/article=2025/view=234635


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Regular Issue Subscription Review Article
Volume 16
Issue 03
Received 11/07/2025
Accepted 10/10/2025
Published 24/10/2025
Publication Time 105 Days
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