An improvement in performance of hybrid solar system with use of liquid metal alloy GaInSn as a coolant has been demonstrated in this study. The performance of hybrid system using GaInSn, water, and air as coolants under different operating conditions such as ambient temperature, different inlet velocities of fluid, solar irradiations is analyzed using simulation software ANSYS and the results obtained are validated using experiments. The results obtained from simulations and experiments are used for determining important performance criteria such as electrical efficiency, thermal efficiency, and exergy efficiency. The exergy, thermal, and electrical efficiencies were found to be at least 11%, 12%, and 12% higher for hybrid system using GaInSn as a coolant when compared to hybrid systems using air and water as coolants, respectively.
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December 2017
Technical Briefs
Improving Heat Transfer in Hybrid Solar Systems Using Liquid Metal Alloys as a Coolant
T. Prabu,
T. Prabu
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
PSG College of Technology,
Coimbatore 641004, India
e-mail: tpr@mec.psgtech.ac.in
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
PSG College of Technology,
Coimbatore 641004, India
e-mail: tpr@mec.psgtech.ac.in
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C. Ajay Sekar
C. Ajay Sekar
Search for other works by this author on:
T. Prabu
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
PSG College of Technology,
Coimbatore 641004, India
e-mail: tpr@mec.psgtech.ac.in
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
PSG College of Technology,
Coimbatore 641004, India
e-mail: tpr@mec.psgtech.ac.in
C. Ajay Sekar
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING: INCLUDING WIND ENERGY AND BUILDING ENERGY CONSERVATION. Manuscript received August 9, 2017; final manuscript received August 16, 2017; published online September 28, 2017. Editor: Robert F. Boehm.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Dec 2017, 139(6): 064501 (4 pages)
Published Online: September 28, 2017
Article history
Received:
August 9, 2017
Revised:
August 16, 2017
Citation
Prabu, T., and Ajay Sekar, C. (September 28, 2017). "Improving Heat Transfer in Hybrid Solar Systems Using Liquid Metal Alloys as a Coolant." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. December 2017; 139(6): 064501. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4037821
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