Photothermal efficiency enhancement of a nanofluid-based direct absorption solar collector utilizing magnetic nano-rotor
writer：Debing Wang, Yanlin Jia, Yan He, Lingling Wang*, Huaqing Xie, Wei Yu*
keywords：Direct absorption solar collector, Magnetic nanofluids, Photothermal conversion, Reduced graphene oxide, Solar energy
source：期刊
specific source：Energy Conversion and Management,Volume 199, 1 November 2019, 111996
Issue time：2019年
The concentration of nanofluids and receiver depth are important factors that significantly affect the efficiency of direct absorption solar collectors. In the current work, the impact of the two factors is investigated using reduced graphene oxide/ethanol glycol nanofluids. The results show uneven temperature distribution in the receiver at high nanofluid concentration or when the receiver is deep. To overcome these issues, a forced convection nanofluid absorption system using α-Fe2O3 magnetic nanoparticles as the nano-rotor, and driven by an external rotating magnetic field, was designed. The mechanism of the new system is compared with the conventional one in detail. The photothermal conversion efficiency of the binary nanofluids (α-Fe2O3–graphene oxide/ethanol glycol nanofluids) in the new system reaches 56.8%, which is 14.5% higher than non-external rotating magnetic field nanofluids, for an RGO content of 0.007?wt%. This enhancement is ascribed to two effects of α-Fe2O3: improving the optical absorption capacity of binary nanofluids and acting as a nano-rotor. The optimum photothermal conversion efficiency is achieved at an RGO/α-Fe2O3 ratio of 3 in the current system.