Influence of Al2O3-Based Nanofluids on the Heat Transfer Efficiency of Solar Thermal Collectors

Abstract The paper presents the results of a study on the application of aluminum (Al2O3)-based nanofluids to enhance the thermal efficiency of solar thermal collectors. At maximum concentration, the coefficient value reaches ≈1260 W/(m2 K), which is approximately 40% higher than the corresponding value for pure water. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) revealed a uniform nanoparticle size distribution, while ζ -potential measurements confirmed the stable colloidal stability of the nanofluids at various temperatures. A mathematical model of a parabolic trough collector (PTC) implemented in Python and was verified by comparison with experimental data from SEGS LS-2, showing high predictive accuracy (RMSE = 0.61 K; R2 = 0.99995). Real climatic data for Tashkent (TMY) were used as initial inputs, allowing for an evaluation of the system’s behavior under conditions close to real-world operation. The results confirm that the use of Al2O3 nanofluids in solar thermal systems significantly improves heat transfer and can serve as an effective solution for increasing the energy efficiency of renewable energy installations.

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