The effects of using aqueous nanofluids containing covalently functionalized graphene nanoplatelets with triethanolamine (TEA-GNPs) as novel working fluids on the thermal performance of a flat-plate solar collector (FPSC) have been investigated. Water-based nanofluids with weight concentrations of 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.075%, and 0.1% of TEA-GNPs with specific surface areas of 300, 500, and 750 m2/g were prepared. An experimental setup was designed and built and a simulation program using MATLAB was developed. Experimental tests were performed using inlet fluid temperatures of 30, 40, and 50 °C; flow rates of 0.6, 1.0, and 1.4 kg/min; and heat flux intensities of 600, 800, and 1000 W/m2. The FPSC’s efficiency increased as the flow rate and heat flux intensity increased, and decreased as inlet fluid temperature increased. When using nanofluids in the FPSC, the measured temperatures of absorber plate and tube wall decreased down to 3.35% and 3.51%, respectively, with the increase in weight concentration and specific surface area, while the efficiency increased up to 10.53% for 0.1- wt% TEA-GNPs nanofluid with specific surface area of 750 m2/g, in comparison with water. When using water as heat transfer fluid, very good agreement was obtained between the experimental and predicted values of absorber plate temperature, tube wall temperature, and collector’s efficiency with maximum differences of 3.02%, 3.19%, and 3.26%, respectively. While, when using nanofluids, higher differences were found, up to 4.74%, 4.7%, and 13.47% for TEA-GNPs nanofluid with specific surface area of 750 m2/g, respectively. Accordingly, the MATLAB code was capable of simulating the thermal performance of FPSCs utilizing nanofluids as their heat transfer fluids with acceptable accuracy. Values of performance index were all greater than 1, and increased as weight concentration increased up to 1.104 for 0.1- wt% TEA-GNPs nanofluid with specific surface area of 750 m2/g, implying higher positive effects on efficiency than negative effects on pressure drop. Accordingly, the investigated nanofluids can efficiently be used in FPSCs for enhanced energy efficiency, and the 0.1- wt% water-based TEA-GNPs nanofluid with specific surface area of 750 m2/g was comparatively the superior one.
In the present work, a density functional theory (DFT) calculation to simulate reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrid with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle's sensitivity to NO2 gas is performed. In comparison with the experiment, DFT calculations give acceptable results to available bond lengths, lattice parameters, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy gaps, Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, entropy, etc. to ZnO, rGO, and ZnO/rGO hybrid. ZnO and rGO show n-type and p-type semiconductor behavior, respectively. The formed p-n heterojunction between rGO and ZnO is of the staggering gap type. Results show that rGO increases the sensitivity of ZnO to NO2 gas as they form a hybrid. ZnO/rGO hybrid has a higher number of vacancies that can b
... Show MoreOne of the most important problems in the oil production process and when its continuous flow, is emulsified oil (w/o emulsion), which in turn causes many problems, from the production line to the extended pipelines that are then transported to the oil refining process. It was observed that the nanomaterial (SiO2) supported the separation process by adding it to the emulsion sample and showed a high separation rate with the demulsifiers (RB6000) and (sebamax) where the percentage of separation was greater than (90 and 80 )% respectively, and less than that when dealing with (Sodium dodecyl sulfate and Diethylene glycol), the percentage of separation was (60% and 50%) respectively.
The high proportion
... Show MoreObjective: To evaluate and compare the effect of mechanical surface treatment (groove, aluminum oxide particles)
with 45 degree bevel type of joint on tensile bond strength of acrylic specimens repaired by two curing methods
(microwave and water both).
Methodology: Eighty specimens (80) were prepared from pink heat cure acrylic resin. They were divided into two
main groups (40 specimen repaired by microwave energy and 40 specimens repaired by water bath method).Each
group can be divided into four subgroups of ten according to the surface treatment. The control group A was left
intact, group B received no surface treatment, group C and D received surface treatment by (groove, 50 m aluminum
oxide particles). Specimens
Been using a pv system program to determine the solar window for Baghdad city . the solar window for any location can be determine by deviating left and right from the geographical south as well as deviation according to the amount of tilt angle with the horizon for fixed panel so that will not change the average of solar radiation incident over the whole year and this lead to help in the process of installation of fixed solar panel without any effect on annual output .the range of solar window for Baghdad city between two angles ( -8 - +8 ) degrees left to right of the geographical south and tilt angle that allowed for the horizon range between angles (21- 30) degrees so that the amount of solar radiation that falling on the solar pan
... Show MoreThe population has been trying to use clean energy instead of combustion. The choice was to use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for domestic use, especially for cooking due to its advantages as a light gas, a lower cost, and clean energy. Residential complexes are supplied with liquefied petroleum gas for each housing unit, transported by pipes from LPG tanks to the equipment. This research aims to simulate the design and performance design of the LPG system in the building that is applied to a residential complex in Baghdad taken as a study case with eight buildings. The building has 11 floors, and each floor has four apartments. The design in this study has been done in two parts, part one is the design of an LPG system for one building, an
... Show MoreDevelopments are carried out to enhance the performance of vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT). This paper studies the performance of the ducted wind turbine with convergent duct (DAWT). Basically, the duct technique is utilized to provide the desired wind velocity facing the turbine. Methodology was developed to estimate the decisive performance parameter and to present the effect of the convergent duct with different inlet angles. The ducted wind turbine was analyzed and simulated using MATLAB software and numerically using ANSYS-Fluent 17.2. Result of both approaches were presented and showed good closeness for the two cases of covering angles 12 and 20 respectively. Results also showed that the convergent duct with an inlet angl
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