Experimental investigation of using graphene nanoplatelets and hybrid nanofluid as coolant in photovoltaic thermal systems

Abstract

It is a common observation that the photovoltaic (PV) panelshows a compromised performance when its temperature rises. To handle the performance reduction, most PV panels are equipped with a thermal absorber for removing the solar cells? excessive heatwith the help of a heat transfer fluid. The mentioned thermal absorber system is termed as PV thermal or simply PV/T. This study aims to experimentally investigate the effectsof a graphene nano-platelets (GNP) nanofluid, distilled water, and hybrid nanofluid (HyNF)as transfer fluids in PV/Tcollectors. A hybrid nanofluid comprises aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and GNP. An outdoor experimental setup was installed and tested under the climatic conditions in Karab?k (Turkey) to measure the inlet as well as outlet PV/Tfluid temperatures, ambient temperature with solar radiation, and surface temperatures of both PV/T collector and the PV panel. The mass percentage of the coolant fluids was 0.5% (by weight) and their flow rate was 0.5L/m. Resultsshow that the (GNP)nanofluid is the most effective fluid because it showed superior thermal efficiency among all the tested fluids. Adding a thermal unit to the PV/Tunit increased the overall energy efficiency by 48.4%, 52%, and 56.1% using distilled water, hybrid nanofluid, and graphene nanofluid, respectively.

Intelligent Nanomaterials for Solar Energy Harvesting: From Polar Bear Hairs to Unsmooth Nanofiber Fabrication

“…The nanofibers with a periodic unsmooth surface are potentially of great technological interest for the development of solar energy absorption, and their other applications include invisibility devices, electronic sensors, applied surface science, photonics, physics, microelectronics, nanomaterials, advanced textile, photothermo-promoted nanocatalysis, photothermal semiconduction, photoactivatable cancer immunotherapy, and environmental science ( Li et al, 2019 ; Li X. et al, 2021 ; Li J. et al, 2021 ; Yang et al, 2021 ). We anticipate that this article will be a starting point for more sophisticated studies of intelligent nanomaterials for solar energy harvesting for solar cells ( Pavlovic et al, 2021 ; Alshikhi and Kayfeci 2022 ) or solar collector systems ( Al-Rabeeah et al, 2022 ). The periodic structure of nanomaterials via bioinspiration for energy gives many promises and great challenges ( Gong et al, 2019 ).…”

Optimizing MWCNT-Based Nanofluids for Photovoltaic/Thermal Cooling through Preparation Parameters

“…It was later found that metal oxide nanoparticles were cheaper and had conductivity similar to the original set. Carbon nanotubes have also been used for nanofluids, as they have unique thermal properties and superior thermal capabilities. − These nanotubes come in two types, single-walled and multiwalled, and can have diameters ranging from one nanometer to several nanometers with a cylinder length of several micrometers . Their thermal conductivity (2000–6000 W/m 2 K) is much higher than that of the metallic or metal oxide nanoparticles. − Nanofluids made up of carbon nanotubes can disperse and raise the thermal conductivity of the base fluid .…”

“…18−20 These nanotubes come in two types, single-walled and multiwalled, and can have diameters ranging from one nanometer to several nanometers with a cylinder length of several micrometers. 21 Their thermal conductivity (2000− 6000 W/m 2 K) is much higher than that of the metallic or metal oxide nanoparticles. 22−24 Nanofluids made up of carbon nanotubes can disperse and raise the thermal conductivity of the base fluid.…”

Formation of Diamane Nanostructures in Bilayer Graphene on Langasite under Irradiation with a Focused Electron Beam

“…Graphene, due to its outstanding properties, has the widest range of applications (including electronics, optics [1], photovoltaics [2], spintronics [3], etc.). One of its fascinating fields of application is its use as a basis for the creation of new 2D materials.…”