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Multi-objective optimization of solar collector using water-based nanofluids with different types of nanoparticles

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Abstract

This study looks at the effects of different kinds of nanoparticles including AL2O3, SiO2, and CuO on the design of a solar flat plate collector in different volumetric concentrations. Water was used as the base fluid, and optimal SFPC parameters were obtained for each of the nanofluids. Both the efficiency and total annual cost were selected as objective functions, and the optimum Pareto fronts were compared with those of the base fluid. The results show a significant enhancement in both the efficiency and TAC for all the studied nanofluids compared with the pure water as the working fluid. The efficiency improved by 4.47%, 4.65%, and 5.22% in the cases of AL2O3, SiO2, and CuO compared with base fluid with a fixed TAC of 67 $ year−1. With a fixed efficiency of 0.564, TAC decreased by 25.45%, 25.87%, and 27.88%, respectively. The optimum design parameters show that lower heat transfer surface area and insulator thickness are needed for CuO compared with the other cases, followed by SiO2, AL2O3, and the base fluid. In the optimum conditions, a lower particle volumetric concentration is required for CuO, followed by Al2O3 and SiO2.

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Abbreviations

a:

Annual parameter (–)

A:

Surface area (m2)

C :

Cost ($)

c p :

Heat capacity (J kg−1 K−1)

\(C_{\text{op}}\) :

Operational cost ($ year−1)

C p :

Heat capacity (kJ kg−1 K−1)

D :

Diameter (m)

F :

Friction factor (–)

F R :

Heat removal factor (–)

h :

Convection heat transfer coefficient (W m−2 K−1)

i :

Interest rate (–), point index (–)

I :

Radiation (W m−2)

j :

Objective index (–)

K :

Conductivity (W m−1 K−1)

k el :

Electricity cost ($ kWh−1)

knp :

Unit price of nanoparticle ($ kg−1)

L :

Collector length (m)

\(\dot{m}\) :

Mass flow rate (kg s−1)

m np :

Nanoparticle mass (kg)

N :

Number of tubes (–)

n :

Number of points (–)

N h :

Operational hours (hour year−1)

N p :

Number of plate (–)

Nu :

Nusselt number (–)

Pr :

Prandtl number

\(\dot{Q}\) :

Heat rate (W)

Ra :

Rayleigh number (–)

R b :

Total ratio of radiation

Re :

Reynolds number (–)

S :

Absorbed radiation (W m−2)

U :

Collector loss coefficient (W m−2 K−1)

V :

Collector volume, velocity

W :

Space between tubes (m)

\(\dot{W}_{\text{p}}\) :

Pump power (kW)

y :

Lifetime (year)

β :

Collector angle (°)

δ :

Thickness (m)

\(\Delta P\) :

Pressure drop

ε :

Emission (–)

η :

Efficiency (–)

φ :

Assembly parameter (–)

μ :

Viscosity (Pa s)

∀ insu :

Insulation volume (m3)

\(\rho_{\text{g}}\) :

Ambient reflectance (–)

σ :

Boltzmann constant

ϕ :

Volume concentration

a:

Ambient

b:

Bottom

b:

Belt

bf:

Base fluid

c:

Cover

col:

Collector

e:

Edge

eff:

Effective

i:

Inner

insu:

Insulation

inv:

Investment

nf:

Nanofluid

np:

Nanoparticle

o:

Outer

p:

Plate, pump

t:

Tube, top

HE:

Heat exchanger

NSGA:

Non-sorting genetic algorithm

PVC:

Particle volume concentration

SFPC:

Solar flat plate collector

STHE:

Shell-and-tube HE

TAC:

Total annual cost ($ y−1)

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the International Research and Development Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), which is funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT of Korea (NRF-2017K1A3A1A30084513). Partial support was also obtained from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant, which is funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (Nos. 2011-0030013 and 2018R1A2B2007117).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735, Republic of Korea

    Zahra Hajabdollahi & Kyung Chun Kim

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, 7718897111, Iran

    Hassan Hajabdollahi

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  1. Zahra Hajabdollahi
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Correspondence to Kyung Chun Kim.

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Hajabdollahi, Z., Hajabdollahi, H. & Kim, K.C. Multi-objective optimization of solar collector using water-based nanofluids with different types of nanoparticles. J Therm Anal Calorim 140, 991–1002 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-019-08444-w

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