Experimental Study and Theoretical Investigation on Solar Parabolic Trough Collector System Incorporated with Nano Fluids

Abstract

The parabolic trough collector has many advantages of processing properties over a producing newlinesolar hot water generation and having higher optical efficiency. Generally, to study the thermal newlineperformance of PTC is effected by the available incoming radiation and its depends on newlinedesigning parameters and type of orientation. In the present research thesis describes newlinetheoretical investigation and experimental study of these physical parameters for static newlinesymmetric PTC with location of Karnataka state of India, bengaluru district. newlineSolar parabolic trough model was developed to measure the characteristics of global normal newlineirradiance, daylight hours, and beam radiation in the north-south hemisphere like bengaluru newlinedistrict. The latitude falls into 12.750N and longitude of 77.35 newline0W with average solar elevation newlineof 600 newline.For maximum incoming radiation available in each month with highest increases newline35.65% and 28.56% in April and December respectively. The lowest titling angle found newline0 newline0 newline(may to June) and highest angle were achieved 45.850 newline(September to march) while for static newlinecollector provides the highest performance. newlineThe analysis of solar radiation shows that bengaluru has significant diffuse radiation with up to newline49% in some months; therefore PSTC offers high potential in harnessing solar energy. Using newlineadvanced Soltrace ray tracing techniques, a detailed investigation was carried out to study the newlineeffect of normal irradiance, acceptance angle, aperture width, rim angle, single axis curvature newlineand orientation on the PSTC performance. newlineThe ASHARE standards 93-86 were followed to enhance thermal performance by using newlinereduced grapheme oxide (rGO) as nanofluid with selection of mass fraction 0.5-1.0% as newlineworking coolant. An experimental setup was carried out in two ways; free circulation system newline(Thermosyphon) and forced circulation system. The uncertainty error percentage of tested data newlinefalls for global normal irradiance (±1.45), rate of fluid flow (±5.54), variation of inlet and newlineV newlineoutlet fluid temperature (±1.35) are