Sandeep Kumar Kumar ¹, Supriya Kajla ¹, Satbir Singh Sehgal ¹

Affiliations
1 Mechanical Engineering Department, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali - 140413, Punjab, IN

Abstract

Objectives: The main objective was to computationally model various flat bed solar collector with various inlet and outlet designs with solidworks simulation to investigate the effects of change in diameter of the tubes on pressure drop and temperature differences. Methods: With use of solidworks 2012 software designing of seven different type of flat plate collector has been made as 1. Normal design in which flow run conditions of the normal water which been used is set at a temperature of 18.7 °C, the pressure conditions which is taken in whole of the CFD run of the experiment is taken as 22.4. The inlet flow rate condition for the diverge-3 design is maintained at 0.05 Kg/sec. 2. Converge-1 in which Flow run conditions of the normal water which been used is set at a temperature of 38.15 °C, the pressure condition which is taken in whole of the CFD run of the experiment is taken as 3.64. 3. Converge-2 in which Flow run conditions of the normal water which been used is set at a temperature of 37.82 °C, the pressure condition which is taken in whole of the CFD run of the experiment is taken as 2.74 4. Converge-3 in which Flow run conditions of the normal water which been used is set at a temperature of 38.49 °C, the pressure condition which is taken in whole of the CFD run of the experiment is taken as 3.35 5. Diverge-1 in which Flow run conditions of the normal water which been used is set at a temperature of 37.85 °C, the pressure condition which is taken in whole of the CFD run of the experiment is taken as 4.49 6. Diverge-2 in which Flow run conditions of the normal water which been used is set at a temperature of 38.39 °C, the pressure condition which is taken in whole of the CFD run of the experiment is taken as 3.67. 7. Diverge-3 in which Flow run conditions of the normal water which been used is set at a temperature of 38.41 °C, the pressure condition which is taken in whole of the CFD run of the experiment is taken as 2.14. Where the inlet flow rate condition for the diverge-3 design is maintained at 0.05 Kg/sec same for all designs. Findings: All the designs are used to establish the input parameters with analyzing of performance of (FPC) Flat Plate Collector. In the CFD analysis findings the maximum temperature rise up has been found in converging 3 design in which Flow run conditions of the normal water which been used is set at a temperature of 38.49 ° C, the pressure condition which is taken in whole of the CFD run of the experiment is taken as 3.35 and effective minimum pressure drop has been found in the diverging 3 type of design in which Flow run conditions of the normal water which been used is set at a temperature of 38.41 °C, the pressure condition which is taken in whole of the CFD run of the experiment is taken as 2.14. Where the inlet flow rate condition for the diverge-3 design is maintained at 0.05 Kg/sec same for all designs. Important thing was that if the mass flow rate increases, corresponding temperature decreases. Material properties also play an important role in the performance of solar flat bed collector. Further improvements can be made by designing more complex designs for CFD analysis so that a better efficient FPC can be made. Application: All of design conditions in solidworks simulation are developed to make a effective flat plate collector in which maximum heat may be stored and large temperature conditions on the outlet may be achieved. More designs of different shapes may also be developed in other design softwares also. Applications of these effective designs after their fabrication may be in domestic water heating purposes and in large industrial facilities where large temperature conditions of water may be required.

Keywords

CFD, FPC (Flat Plate Collector), Solidworks.

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Supriya Kajla ¹, Satbir Singh Sehgal ¹

Affiliations
1 Mechanical Engineering.Department, Chandigarh University, Gharuan – 140413, IN

Abstract

Objectives: In the present work, the effect of CuO-water based nanofluids on the performance of flat plate solar collector was studied using computational fluid dynamics. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The computational analysis was carried out for both water and nanofluids at varying mass flow rates of 0.00255 kg/sec, 0.0029 kg/sec and 0.00323 kg/ sec. Comsol 5.2 software has been used for the simulating the performance of solar collector. The performance of flat plate solar collector is evaluated in terms of outlet fluid temperature by providing various inlet parameters such as inlet fluid temperature, ambient temperature, inlet pressure, solar irradiance, etc. Findings: The study was conducted for two volume fraction of CuO as 0.1% and 0.2% in base fluids. It has been found that the efficiency of solar collector increases with the use of nanofluids in comparison with water as nanofluids have better thermal properties. Also the efficiency of collector increases with the increase in mass flow rate for both water and nanofluids as working fluids. The efficiency is found to be slightly higher when the volumetric concentration of nano particles in a base fluid is higher. The temperature difference between inlet and outlet decreases as the inlet temperature increases. The maximum efficiency was found to be 55.3% using water whereas the maximum efficiency with CuO-water nanofluids was 73.4%. The maximum efficiency increase is found to be 25.9% with the use of nanofluids in comparison to water at a mass flow rate of 0.00255 kg/sec. Application/Improvements: Nan fluids are highly useful as heat transfer fluids due to enhanced thermal properties. The application areas of nanofluids are power generation, heating, cooling, air-conditioning, ventilation, etc.

Keywords

Diffuse Surface, Flat Plate Solar Collector, Nanofluids, Outlet Fluid Temperature, Performance, Solar Radiation.

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