Abstract:
This work proposes and demonstrates the novel idea of using Fe3O4@SiO2 core/shell structure
nanoparticles (NPs) to improve the solar thermal conversion efficiency. Magnetite (Fe3O4) NPs are
synthesized by controlled co-precipitation method. Fe3O4@SiO2 NPs are prepared based on sol?gel
approach, then characterized. Water-based Fe3O4@SiO2 nanofluid is prepared and used
to illustrate the photo-thermal conversion characteristics of a solar collector under solar simulator.
The temperature rise characteristics of the nanofluids are investigated at different heights of the
solar collector, for duration of 300min, under a solar intensity of 1000 W m?2
. The experimental
results show that Fe3O4@SiO2 NPs have a core/shell structure with spherical morphology and size
of about 400nm. Fe3O4@SiO2/H2O nanofluid enhances the photo-thermal conversion efficiency
compared with base fluid and Fe3O4/H2O nanofluid, since the silica coating improves both the
thermodynamic stability of the nanofluid and the light absorption effectiveness of the NPs. At a
concentration of 1mg/1ml of Fe3O4@SiO2/H2O, and with the utilization of kerosene into the solar
collector, and exposure for radiation for 5min, the photo-thermal conversion efficiency has shown
an enhancement at the bottom of the collector of about 32.9% compared to the base fluid.