Environmental, Economic and Exergy Analysis of a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector with Finned Absorber Tube

Considering the excellent properties of hybrid nanofluids, it is a good idea to use them to improve the performance of solar collectors. The performance of a parabolic trough solar collector equipped with an internally finned absorber tube (IFAT) has been numerically studied based on the environment...

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Main Authors: Farhad Vahidinia, Alireza Aghaei, Hossein Khorasanizadeh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Semnan University 2025-11-01
Series:Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer Research
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Online Access:https://jhmtr.semnan.ac.ir/article_9093_f4e6c81ad9e1709544bd69c54df0d280.pdf
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author Farhad Vahidinia
Alireza Aghaei
Hossein Khorasanizadeh
author_facet Farhad Vahidinia
Alireza Aghaei
Hossein Khorasanizadeh
author_sort Farhad Vahidinia
collection DOAJ
description Considering the excellent properties of hybrid nanofluids, it is a good idea to use them to improve the performance of solar collectors. The performance of a parabolic trough solar collector equipped with an internally finned absorber tube (IFAT) has been numerically studied based on the environmental, economic, exergy, and energy perspectives. The working fluid of the collector is hybrid nanofluid (HNF), consisting of of MWCNT and Fe3O4 nanoparticles and Therminol VP-1 as base fluid (BF). The volume fraction of nanoparticles is 3%, the operating fluid temperature is 600 K, and the Reynolds number is in the range of 2×104-2×105. The fluid flow is simulated using Ansys-Fluent software. Environmental analysis was done using the life cycle method, and economic analysis was based on the levelized cost of energy. Investigation of the results showed that the energy and exergy efficiencies of the collector when using the IFAT is higher than the smooth absorber tube (SAT), and using HNF is higher than base fluid. The maximum energy efficiency enhancement of the PTC using IFAT-BF, SAT-HNF, and IFAT-HNF compared to SAT-BF is 4.93, 1.49, and 5.35%, respectively, and the maximum exergy efficiency enhancement is 6.09, 1.6 and 6.6%, respectively. Based on the economic approach, it was observed that for the Re lower than 5×104, the use of PTC with IFAT is more economical than the PTC with SAT. The environmental analysis showed that the use of the PTC with SAT compared to PTC with IFAT and also the use of HNF instead of the BF produces less CO2 in the life cycle of the collector.
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spelling doaj-art-ea5394b117264451ab4e9d0fd9e122172025-01-20T11:28:45ZengSemnan UniversityJournal of Heat and Mass Transfer Research2345-508X2383-30682025-11-0112220922610.22075/jhmtr.2024.33860.15559093Environmental, Economic and Exergy Analysis of a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector with Finned Absorber TubeFarhad Vahidinia0Alireza Aghaei1Hossein Khorasanizadeh2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Zabol, Zabol, IranFaculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kashan, Kashan, IranFaculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kashan, Kashan, IranConsidering the excellent properties of hybrid nanofluids, it is a good idea to use them to improve the performance of solar collectors. The performance of a parabolic trough solar collector equipped with an internally finned absorber tube (IFAT) has been numerically studied based on the environmental, economic, exergy, and energy perspectives. The working fluid of the collector is hybrid nanofluid (HNF), consisting of of MWCNT and Fe3O4 nanoparticles and Therminol VP-1 as base fluid (BF). The volume fraction of nanoparticles is 3%, the operating fluid temperature is 600 K, and the Reynolds number is in the range of 2×104-2×105. The fluid flow is simulated using Ansys-Fluent software. Environmental analysis was done using the life cycle method, and economic analysis was based on the levelized cost of energy. Investigation of the results showed that the energy and exergy efficiencies of the collector when using the IFAT is higher than the smooth absorber tube (SAT), and using HNF is higher than base fluid. The maximum energy efficiency enhancement of the PTC using IFAT-BF, SAT-HNF, and IFAT-HNF compared to SAT-BF is 4.93, 1.49, and 5.35%, respectively, and the maximum exergy efficiency enhancement is 6.09, 1.6 and 6.6%, respectively. Based on the economic approach, it was observed that for the Re lower than 5×104, the use of PTC with IFAT is more economical than the PTC with SAT. The environmental analysis showed that the use of the PTC with SAT compared to PTC with IFAT and also the use of HNF instead of the BF produces less CO2 in the life cycle of the collector.https://jhmtr.semnan.ac.ir/article_9093_f4e6c81ad9e1709544bd69c54df0d280.pdfeconomic analysisenergyenvironmental analysishybrid nanofluidparabolic solar collector
spellingShingle Farhad Vahidinia
Alireza Aghaei
Hossein Khorasanizadeh
Environmental, Economic and Exergy Analysis of a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector with Finned Absorber Tube
Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer Research
economic analysis
energy
environmental analysis
hybrid nanofluid
parabolic solar collector
title Environmental, Economic and Exergy Analysis of a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector with Finned Absorber Tube
title_full Environmental, Economic and Exergy Analysis of a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector with Finned Absorber Tube
title_fullStr Environmental, Economic and Exergy Analysis of a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector with Finned Absorber Tube
title_full_unstemmed Environmental, Economic and Exergy Analysis of a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector with Finned Absorber Tube
title_short Environmental, Economic and Exergy Analysis of a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector with Finned Absorber Tube
title_sort environmental economic and exergy analysis of a parabolic trough solar collector with finned absorber tube
topic economic analysis
energy
environmental analysis
hybrid nanofluid
parabolic solar collector
url https://jhmtr.semnan.ac.ir/article_9093_f4e6c81ad9e1709544bd69c54df0d280.pdf
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AT alirezaaghaei environmentaleconomicandexergyanalysisofaparabolictroughsolarcollectorwithfinnedabsorbertube
AT hosseinkhorasanizadeh environmentaleconomicandexergyanalysisofaparabolictroughsolarcollectorwithfinnedabsorbertube