Experimental Study on the Efficiency Improvement of Flat Plate Solar Collectors Using Hybrid Nanofluids Graphene/Waste Cotton

Abu Shadate Faisal Mahamude, Wan Sharuzi Wan Harun, Kumaran Kadirgama, Devarajan Ramasamy, Kaniz Farhana, Khalid Saleh and Talal Yusaf
Additional contact information
Abu Shadate Faisal Mahamude: College of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Gambang 26300, Pahang, Malaysia
Wan Sharuzi Wan Harun: College of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Gambang 26300, Pahang, Malaysia
Kumaran Kadirgama: Faculty of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Pekan 26600, Pahang, Malaysia
Devarajan Ramasamy: College of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Gambang 26300, Pahang, Malaysia
Kaniz Farhana: Department of Apparel Engineering, Bangladesh University of Textiles, Dhaka 1208, Bangladesh
Khalid Saleh: School of Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
Talal Yusaf: School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Brisbane, QLD 4008, Australia

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-27

Abstract: Flat plate solar collectors can easily be termed as the most vastly studied alternative energy transforming and generating technology of the twenty-first century. As the world is racing towards the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), more and more energy is being consumed for mega projects to be materialized. Electronic devices are not only confined to conventional intermittent and costlier electric energy, but also fuel. Solar energy is now being shared to work smart devices, transform electric energy, and operate automobiles, aeronautics, water heating, and space heating. Traditional flat plate solar collectors can only occupy 50–60% of their thermal efficiency, resulting in less heat generation and a low thermal performance because of using a common absorber made of copper tubing compared to a high conductive metal sheet (copper or aluminum). To ameliorate the thermal efficiency of the solar collector, it is imperative to find a superior alternative heat exchanger that will result in improved thermal performance of the solar collector. In this study, light has been shed in terms of substituting conventional heat absorbers with crystal nano-cellulose (CNC) and a graphene hybrid. An empirical comparison has been drawn by comparing the familiar 0.3% base fluid, 0.5% graphene, and CNC separately, as well as 0.3%, 0.5% CNC, and graphene hybrids at different temperatures. Remarkably, this work has proven that a CNC and graphene hybrid fluid with a volumetric fraction of 0.5% concentration and at a high temperature of 80 °C, gave astounding results for improved thermal conductivity, viscosity, and other parameters. CNC and graphene hybrid nanofluid can be a superior substitute for a conventional base fluid, resulting in prolific thermal performance.

Keywords: energy gain; efficiency; flat plate solar collector; hybrid nanofluids (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/7/2309/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/7/2309/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:7:p:2309-:d:776894

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().