Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of a nano-enhanced flat plate solar collector for improved thermal performance
This study evaluates the performance of flat plate solar collectors (FPSCs) enhanced with water-based Si₃N₄ nanofluids, focusing on thermal efficiency, economic feasibility, and environmental impact. Unlike widely studied Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ nanofluids, Si₃N₄ offers superior thermal conductivity (10–20 W...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Energy Nexus |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772427125000749 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849689874957860864 |
|---|---|
| author | Shek Rahman Salah Issa Zafar Said Ahmed Amine Hachicha |
| author_facet | Shek Rahman Salah Issa Zafar Said Ahmed Amine Hachicha |
| author_sort | Shek Rahman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study evaluates the performance of flat plate solar collectors (FPSCs) enhanced with water-based Si₃N₄ nanofluids, focusing on thermal efficiency, economic feasibility, and environmental impact. Unlike widely studied Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ nanofluids, Si₃N₄ offers superior thermal conductivity (10–20 W/m·K) and lower density (2.6–3.2 g/cm³), making it a novel, underexplored candidate for FPSCs. Experimental results demonstrate that Si₃N₄ nanofluids at 0.09 % volume fraction achieve a 33 % improvement in thermal conductivity and 8 % enhancement in thermal efficiency compared to conventional water-based systems. The integration of Si₃N₄ reduces the required collector area by 6.1 %, enabling cost savings and compact system designs. Life cycle analysis reveals a 12 % reduction in carbon emissions and a 15 % shorter payback period (5.5 years), underscoring the environmental and economic viability of Si₃N₄ nanofluids. These advancements align with global sustainability goals, particularly SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) and SDG 13 (climate action), by improving renewable energy technologies and reducing fossil fuel reliance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2a0820c9168a4df9bd73b8f27f4b8102 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2772-4271 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energy Nexus |
| spelling | doaj-art-2a0820c9168a4df9bd73b8f27f4b81022025-08-20T03:21:30ZengElsevierEnergy Nexus2772-42712025-06-011810043310.1016/j.nexus.2025.100433Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of a nano-enhanced flat plate solar collector for improved thermal performanceShek Rahman0Salah Issa1Zafar Said2Ahmed Amine Hachicha3Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates; Corresponding author.Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab EmiratesMechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, College of Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab EmiratesSustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab EmiratesThis study evaluates the performance of flat plate solar collectors (FPSCs) enhanced with water-based Si₃N₄ nanofluids, focusing on thermal efficiency, economic feasibility, and environmental impact. Unlike widely studied Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ nanofluids, Si₃N₄ offers superior thermal conductivity (10–20 W/m·K) and lower density (2.6–3.2 g/cm³), making it a novel, underexplored candidate for FPSCs. Experimental results demonstrate that Si₃N₄ nanofluids at 0.09 % volume fraction achieve a 33 % improvement in thermal conductivity and 8 % enhancement in thermal efficiency compared to conventional water-based systems. The integration of Si₃N₄ reduces the required collector area by 6.1 %, enabling cost savings and compact system designs. Life cycle analysis reveals a 12 % reduction in carbon emissions and a 15 % shorter payback period (5.5 years), underscoring the environmental and economic viability of Si₃N₄ nanofluids. These advancements align with global sustainability goals, particularly SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) and SDG 13 (climate action), by improving renewable energy technologies and reducing fossil fuel reliance.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772427125000749Solar energyNanofluidFPSCEfficiency |
| spellingShingle | Shek Rahman Salah Issa Zafar Said Ahmed Amine Hachicha Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of a nano-enhanced flat plate solar collector for improved thermal performance Energy Nexus Solar energy Nanofluid FPSC Efficiency |
| title | Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of a nano-enhanced flat plate solar collector for improved thermal performance |
| title_full | Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of a nano-enhanced flat plate solar collector for improved thermal performance |
| title_fullStr | Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of a nano-enhanced flat plate solar collector for improved thermal performance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of a nano-enhanced flat plate solar collector for improved thermal performance |
| title_short | Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of a nano-enhanced flat plate solar collector for improved thermal performance |
| title_sort | techno economic and life cycle analysis of a nano enhanced flat plate solar collector for improved thermal performance |
| topic | Solar energy Nanofluid FPSC Efficiency |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772427125000749 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shekrahman technoeconomicandlifecycleanalysisofananoenhancedflatplatesolarcollectorforimprovedthermalperformance AT salahissa technoeconomicandlifecycleanalysisofananoenhancedflatplatesolarcollectorforimprovedthermalperformance AT zafarsaid technoeconomicandlifecycleanalysisofananoenhancedflatplatesolarcollectorforimprovedthermalperformance AT ahmedaminehachicha technoeconomicandlifecycleanalysisofananoenhancedflatplatesolarcollectorforimprovedthermalperformance |