Open Access

ARTICLE

Numerical Investigation to Enhance the Solar Collector Performance Using Nano-Encapsulated Octadecane Organic Paraffin PCM

Malik A. Faisal^*, Alireza Saraei

Department of Mechanical Engineering, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, 1584715414, Iran

* Corresponding Author: Malik A. Faisal. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advancements in Energy Resources, Processes, Systems, and Materials-(ICSSD2024))

Energy Engineering 2025, 122(5), 2099-2117. https://doi.org/10.32604/ee.2025.061569

Received 27 November 2024; Accepted 19 March 2025; Issue published 25 April 2025

Abstract

Performance enhancement of flat plate solar collectors is an endless research direction as it represents the most used solar technology. The enhancement could be achieved via design alteration, absorber-installed protrusions, and integration with thermal energy storage. The objective of the current research is to evaluate a compacted solar collector integrated with octadecane organic paraffin PCM (phase change materials) as a thermal energy storage medium. The investigations have been performed numerically utilizing ANSYS software. Thermal storage contains the PCM securely encased behind the absorbent plate of the collector in four packing containers. The investigations have been performed without thermal energy storage and with nanoencapsulated thermal energy storage at 5% and 10% volume fractions. The optimal blend for the ongoing inquiry comprises two constituents: particulate octadecane and water as the primary fluid of operation. The findings suggest that in the morning, the nano-encapsulated PCM falls somewhere in the middle, between the absorbent copper plate’s temperature and the fluid temperature flowing out of the collector. However, the collector’s heat output is insufficient to melt this thermal energy storage when its temperature drops overnight. 5% by volume of nanoparticles was determined to be the ideal concentration. While increasing the volume percentage of nanoparticles inside PCM can sometimes boost the temperature of the fluid exiting, it does not necessarily improve performance.

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