Title: Pressure drop characteristics and efficiency enhancement by using TiO₂-H₂O nanofluid in a sustainable solar thermal energy collector

Authors: T.V.R. Sekhar; Ravi Prakash; Gopal Nandan; M. Muthuraman

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Noida, 201303, India ' Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Noida, 201303, India ' Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Noida, 201303, India ' Project Engineering, Boiler and Auxillaries, NTPC Limited, Noida, Pin 201301, India

Abstract: Titania nanofluid is procured and six different volumes fractions are prepared and homogenised. The nanofluid is subjected to experimental study in a built sustainable solar thermal energy collector model. Theoretical models for the calculation of pressure drop are used and the values are compared with results obtained using experimental setup. The experimental values obtained are on the higher side. At a volume fraction of 3% of the titania nanofluid, the collector exhibited thermal efficiency of 56% with a pressure drop of 16 mm of water column. This is compared with values using water with 28% thermal efficiency at a pressure drop of 4.5 mm of water column. Finally, a model is developed to predict the pressure drop and thermal efficiency by using TiO₂-H₂O nanofluid in a solar thermal energy collector.

Keywords: efficiency; pressure drop; solar thermal; titania.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESD.2018.094039

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 2018 Vol.17 No.2/3, pp.273 - 294

Received: 10 Mar 2017
Accepted: 21 Feb 2018
Published online: 13 Aug 2018 *

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