The numerical investigation of spherical grooves on thermal–hydraulic behavior and exergy efficiency of two-phase hybrid MWCNT-Al2O3/water nanofluid in a parabolic solar collector

Abstract This probing attempts to argue the impact of spherical grooves on the exergy efficiency and thermal–hydraulic performance in the parabolic solar collectors which hybrid MWCNT-Al2O3/water nanofluid works as a working fluid. Surface to surface for radiation, k-ω and mixture model opted for the simulation. SIMPLC algorithm used to solve the pressure and velocity coupling. The outputs of the present study are Nu number, pressure loss, and exergy performance which stemming from the heights of grooves 1.5 to 3.5 mm, Re = 5000 to 20000, and nanofluid volume fraction (φ) to 3%. According to the outputs, The most heat transfer, exergy efficiency, and pressure loss are relevant to the highest heights of groove, Re number, and φ. At φ = 3% and Re = 20000 rising the groove height from 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm leads to 88.42% and 149.01% improvement in HT compared with the no-grooved collector. It is also found that the exergy efficiency improves from 7.13% to 16.99% at Re = 2000, φ = 3%, and the heights of 2.5 and 3.5 mm compared with their peer's height of 1.5 mm.