Effect of morphology of carbon nanomaterials on thermo-physical characteristics, optical properties and photo-thermal conversion performance of nanofluids

Long Zhang, Leilei Chen, Jian Liu, Xiaoming Fang and Zhengguo Zhang

Renewable Energy, 2016, vol. 99, issue C, 888-897

Abstract: Graphite nanoparticles (GNPs), single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and graphene (GE) were dispersed into an ionic liquid (IL) to prepare nanofluids at different mass fractions, respectively. The thermo-physical characteristics, radiative properties, and photo-thermal conversion performance of the IL-based nanofluids containing the carbon nanomaterials with different morphologies were investigated in details. It is shown that all the nanofluids exhibit an increase in thermal conductivity and a decrease in viscosity as composed with the base liquid, and the enhancement and reduction ratios varied with their morphologies. The GE-dispersed nanofluids exhibit the highest thermal conductivity enhancement ratios as compared to the GNPs- and SWCNTs-dispersed ones at the same mass fractions. Among the nanofluids containing different carbon nanomaterials, the GE-dispersed nanofluids show the lowest transmittance and possess the highest extinction coefficients. It is revealed that the photo-thermal conversion performance of the IL has been enhanced by the addition of the carbon nanomterials, and the GE-dispersed nanofluids exhibit the highest photo-thermal conversion efficiency among the nanofluids containing different carbon nanomaterials. The superiorities in thermal conductivity, optical property and photo-thermal conversion efficiency make the GE-dispersed nanofluids show great potential for use as high-performance HTFs in solar thermal systems such as working fluids for DASCs.

Keywords: Nanofluid; Direct absorption solar collector; Carbon nanomaterials; Radiative property; Photothermal conversion performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:99:y:2016:i:c:p:888-897

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2016.07.073

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