PROJECT 8

Title: Thermal Performance Enhancement of Evacuated Tube Solar Collector Using Nanofluids

Abstract: Solar energy is the most available, environmental friendly energy source and renewable to sustain the growing energy demand. Solar energy is captured by solar collectors and Heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector (HP-ETSC) is the most efficient and expedient collector among various kinds of solar collectors. ETSCs have outstanding thermal performance, easy transportability and expedient installation and in addition ETSCs are suitable for unfavorable climates. Water, oil, and air are the most common working fluids used in solar energy system but the thermal conductivity of these fluids are relatively low. In contrast, nanofluids which consists base liquid and nanomaterials have enhanced thermophysical properties such as higher thermal conductivity, viscosity, thermal diffusivity and convective heat transfer coefficients. The objective of this research is to investigate the performance of ETSC using various nanofluids.