Optical properties and transmittances of ZnO-containing nanofluids in spectral splitting photovoltaic/thermal systems. (January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huaxu, Liang; Fuqiang, Wang; Dong, Li; Jie, Zhu; Jianyu, Tan
• Is Part Of: International journal of heat and mass transfer. Volume 128(2019)
• Page Start: 668
• Page End: 678
• Publication Date: 2019-01
• Subjects: Spectral splitting -- PV/T -- Nanofluids -- Spectral transmittance -- ZnO -- Optical property; Heat -- Transmission -- Periodicals; Mass transfer -- Periodicals; Chaleur -- Transmission -- Périodiques; Transfert de masse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 621.4022
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2018.09.032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-9310

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Spectral transmittance comparison of among water-ZnO nanofluid, water-Cu9 S5 nanofluid, and water- polypyrrole nanofluid. Highlights: Scheme of solving optical properties and radiative transfer of nanofluids is built. The usability of ZnO nanoparticles in spectral splitting PV/T systems is studied. Optical properties and transmittances are studied using different nanofluids. Overall effective spectral transmittance coefficient δ E for PV cells is put forward. Water–ZnO has higher overall transmittance than water–polypyrrole and water–Cu9 S5 . Abstract: As ZnO nanoparticles had the advantages of high thermal conductivity and low cost, the possibility of using ZnO nanoparticles in spectral splitting photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) systems was initially studied from the perspective of optical properties. Water–ZnO and glycol–ZnO nanofluids were prepared via a two-step method and used for model validation and stability testing. The scheme employed to investigate the optical properties and radiative transfer of the nanofluids was developed using Mie scattering theory combined with the Monte Carlo ray tracing (MCRT) method. The overall effective spectral transmittance coefficients of PV cells were utilized for comprehensive evaluation of the spectral transmittances of the nanofluids in spectral splitting PV/T systems. The overall effective spectral transmittance of a PV cell water-ZnO nanofluids was 21.54% higher than that those of cells containing water–polypyrrole and water–Cu9 S5 nanofluids, respectively. The effects of the nanoparticle diameter, mass concentration and the optical length of the nanofluid on the spectral transmittance of glycol–ZnO nanofluid were also investigated.