Performance Evaluation of Linear Solar
Collector Using Hybrid Nanofluid
Sreejith Mohan, Albin Joseph, Akash Poovathinkal, K. H. Akhilesh,
Jerin Reji, Jithin Ninan Idicula, B. R. Vishnu, and S. P. Sivapirakasam
Abstract This paper reports an experimental investigation on the performance evaluation of a linear solar collector using a hybrid nanofluid of CuO and TiO 2 . The
scanning electron microscope was employed to study the morphology of the nanomaterials. A linear fresnel lens was used to concentrate solar energy on the required
length of the glass tube. The nanofluid was made to flow through the glass tube
and absorb the solar energy. Transmittance spectrum of samples indicated optimum
properties for 0.20% volume concentration of CuO and 0.25% volume concentration of TiO 2 based on which the hybrid nanofluid was prepared. The results indicated
superior thermal and optical properties for the hybrid nanofluid. The absorbance of
the nanofluid was found to increase with the concentration of CuO nanoparticles.
Temperature profile indicated that the hybrid nanofluid could absorb more heat then
water and the base fluid even at lower concentrations. Further, the photo-thermal
conversion rate of the samples was found to increase with the absorptivity of the
nanofluid.
Keywords Nano-fluid · CuO · TiO 2 · Fresnel lens · Transmittance · Absorbance
S. Mohan (B) · S. P. Sivapirakasam
National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
e-mail: sreejith@nitt.edu
A. Joseph
National Institute of Technology, Calicut, India
e-mail: ojalbin92@gmail.com
A. Poovathinkal · K. H. Akhilesh · J. Reji · J. N. Idicula
Sree Buddha College of Engineering, Pattoor, India
B. R. Vishnu
Marian Engineering College, Trivandrum, India
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license
to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
N. Gascoin and E. Balasubramanian (eds.), Innovative Design, Analysis
and Development Practices in Aerospace and Automotive Engineering, Lecture Notes
in Mechanical Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6619-6_51
465
Collector Using Hybrid Nanofluid
Sreejith Mohan, Albin Joseph, Akash Poovathinkal, K. H. Akhilesh,
Jerin Reji, Jithin Ninan Idicula, B. R. Vishnu, and S. P. Sivapirakasam
Abstract This paper reports an experimental investigation on the performance evaluation of a linear solar collector using a hybrid nanofluid of CuO and TiO 2 . The
scanning electron microscope was employed to study the morphology of the nanomaterials. A linear fresnel lens was used to concentrate solar energy on the required
length of the glass tube. The nanofluid was made to flow through the glass tube
and absorb the solar energy. Transmittance spectrum of samples indicated optimum
properties for 0.20% volume concentration of CuO and 0.25% volume concentration of TiO 2 based on which the hybrid nanofluid was prepared. The results indicated
superior thermal and optical properties for the hybrid nanofluid. The absorbance of
the nanofluid was found to increase with the concentration of CuO nanoparticles.
Temperature profile indicated that the hybrid nanofluid could absorb more heat then
water and the base fluid even at lower concentrations. Further, the photo-thermal
conversion rate of the samples was found to increase with the absorptivity of the
nanofluid.
Keywords Nano-fluid · CuO · TiO 2 · Fresnel lens · Transmittance · Absorbance
S. Mohan (B) · S. P. Sivapirakasam
National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
e-mail: sreejith@nitt.edu
A. Joseph
National Institute of Technology, Calicut, India
e-mail: ojalbin92@gmail.com
A. Poovathinkal · K. H. Akhilesh · J. Reji · J. N. Idicula
Sree Buddha College of Engineering, Pattoor, India
B. R. Vishnu
Marian Engineering College, Trivandrum, India
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license
to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
N. Gascoin and E. Balasubramanian (eds.), Innovative Design, Analysis
and Development Practices in Aerospace and Automotive Engineering, Lecture Notes
in Mechanical Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6619-6_51
465