Performance evaluation of external compound parabolic concentrator integrated with thermal storage tank for domestic solar refrigeration system.

The aim of this research was to develop a model for a solar refrigeration system (SRS) that utilizes an External Compound Parabolic Collector and a thermal energy storage system (TESS) for solar water heating in Chennai, India. The system parameters were optimized using TRNSYS software by varying factors such as collector area, mass flow rate of heat transfer fluid, and storage system volume and height. The resulting optimized system was found to meet 80% of hot water requirements for the application on an annual basis, with an annual collector energy efficiency of 58% and an annual TESS exergy efficiency of 64% for a discharge period of 6 h per day. In addition, the thermal performance of 3.5 kW SRS was studied by connecting it to an optimized solar water heating system (SWHS). The system was found to generate an average cooling energy of 12.26 MJ/h annually, with a coefficient of performance of 0.59. By demonstrating the ability to efficiently generate both hot water and cooling energy, the results of this study indicate the potential for utilizing a SWHS in combination with STST and SRS. The optimization of system parameters and the use of exergy analysis provide valuable insights into the thermal behavior and performance of the system, which can inform future designs and improve the overall efficiency of similar systems.

Deep neural network prediction of modified stepped double-slope solar still with a cotton wick and cobalt oxide nanofluid.

This research work intends to enhance the stepped double-slope solar still performance through an experimental assessment of combining linen wicks and cobalt oxide nanoparticles to the stepped double-slope solar still to improve the water evaporation and water production. The results illustrated that the cotton wicks and cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanofluid with 1wt% increased the hourly freshwater output (HP) and instantaneous thermal efficiency (ITE). On the other hand, this study compares four machine learning methods to create a prediction model of tubular solar still performance. The methods developed and compared are support vector regressor (SVR), decision tree regressor, neural network, and deep neural network based on experimental data. This problem is a multi-output prediction problem which is HP and ITE. The prediction performance for the SVR was the lowest, with 70 (ml/m2 h) mean absolute error (MAE) for HP and 4.5% for ITE. Decision tree regressor has a better prediction for HP with 33 (ml/m2 h) MAE and almost the same MAE for ITE. Neural network has a better prediction for HP with 28 (ml/m2 h) MAE and a bit worse prediction for ITE with 5.7%. The best model used the deep neural network with 1.94 (ml/m2 h) MAE for HP and 0.67% MAE for ITE.

A case study of SARS-CoV-2 transmission behavior in a severely air-polluted city (Delhi, India) and the potential usage of graphene based materials for filtering air-pollutants and controlling/monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic.

Globally, humanity is facing its most significant challenge in 100 years due to the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for COVID-19. Under the enormous pressure created by the pandemic, scientists are studying virus transmission mechanisms in order to develop effective mitigation strategies. However, no established methods have been developed to control the spread of this deadly virus. In addition, the ease in lockdown has escalated air pollution which may affect SARS-CoV-2 transmission through attachment to particulates. The present review summarizes the role of graphene nanomaterials, which show antimicrobial behavior and have antiviral efficacy, in reducing the spread of COVID-19. Graphene and its derivatives have excellent antimicrobial efficacy, providing both physical and chemical mechanisms of damage. Coupled with their lightness, optimal properties, and ease of functionalization, they are optimal nanomaterials for coating onto fabrics such as personal protection equipment, face masks and gloves to control the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 effectively. Biosensors using graphene can effectively detect the virus with high accuracy and sensitivity, providing rapid quantification. It is envisioned that the present work will boost the development of graphene-based highly sensitive, accurate and cost-effective diagnostic tools for efficiently monitoring and controlling the spread of COVID-19 and other air-borne viruses.

An experimental investigation of a water desalination unit using different microparticle-coated absorber plate: yield, thermal, economic, and environmental assessments.

This study aims to augment the performance of a solar desalination unit. To experimental examine this idea, a modified solar still with three different microparticles doped in black paint-coated absorber were designed, fabricated, and tested in Jaipur, India. Three different microparticles such as copper, aluminum, and tin with particle size of 50-80 µm with weight concentration of 10% were doped in black paint and then coated on the absorber of solar still. The coated absorber of solar still were compared with the conventional solar still without any microparticle coating to obtain the effect of different coating materials on the water productivity, thermal performance, economic, and environment-economics analysis of solar still. The result showed that under the water depth of 1 cm, coating of copper, aluminum, and tin on absorber augmented the full-day water yield by 33.13, 22.18, and 11.53%, compared to conventional solar still without any coating. In addition, full-day energy and exergy efficiency of solar still with copper-coated absorber exhibited maximum values compared to all other solar stills, owing to the higher thermal conductivity and excellent solar-thermal conversion behaviors of copper. The cost of water per liter estimated through economic analysis was found to be US $ 0.0074 for conventional solar still, which was significantly reduced to US $ 0.0066 in the case of solar still with copper-coated absorber along with the payback time of 2.7 months. The environment-economic assessment estimated that solar still with copper-coated absorber plate has reduced the 13.19 tons of CO2 emission. It is concluded that augmented heat transfer rate from water basin to inner glass surface through utilization of microparticle coating would pave a pathway to develop energy-efficient low-cost solar-based desalination system.

Performance amelioration of single basin solar still integrated with V- type concentrator: Energy, exergy, and economic analysis.

Solar desalination is one of the most sustainable solutions to produce freshwater from brackish water. The present research work aims to experimentally investigate the effect of a V-shape concentrator integrated with solar still (SS). The V-shape concentrator integrated with the conventional solar still (CSS) is used to supply the saline water at elevated temperature to the basin of SS, which augments the freshwater yield compared to CSS. The experimental investigation was performed at different brackish water depths of 0.01, 0.02, and 0.03 m, respectively. The SS system was evaluated based on water yield, energy, exergy, concentrator efficiency, and economic analysis. The freshwater yield of the solar still integrated with V-shape concentrator (SSVC) was found to be 5.47, 5.10, and 4.89 L/m2.day, whereas the yield of the CSS was 3.73, 3.27, and 2.91 L/m2 .day at the water depths of 0.01, 0.02, and 0.03 m, respectively. The daily energy and exergy efficiency of CSS were 38.5, 33.5, and 29.4% and 1.9, 1.5, and 0.97 % in the case of 0.01, 0.02, and 0.03m water depth , respectively. However, the integration of concentrator significantly augmented the energy efficiency to 57.4, 51.7, and 44.9% and exergy efficiency to 3.8, 3.3, and 2.8% for the respective water depths . Life cycle studies demonstrated that the freshwater cost per liter for CSS and SSVC were 0.0102 $ and 0.0117 $ respectively, at a water depth of 0.01 m. It was concluded that the addition of V-shape concentrator and minimum water depth is useful to augment the energy efficiency, exergy efficiency, and yield of the SS in the very economical way.

Improving the performance of solar still using different heat localization materials.

This work aimed to explore a new technique for improving the performance of solar stills (SSs) through utilizing three different types of a new hybrid structure of heat localization materials (HSHLM) floating on the water surface to increase the evaporation rate as well as water production and minimize heat losses. The three types were exfoliated graphite flakes with wick (type A), carbon foam with wick (type B), and exfoliated graphite flakes with wick and carbon foam (type C). These hybrid structures had good features such as high absorption and hydrophilic capillary forces to interconnected pores for fluid flow through the structure. Two identical SSs were designed, fabricated, and investigated to assess SSs' performance with and without HSHLM (modified and conventional SSs). The obtained results showed that the daily productivity was enhanced by 34.5, 28.6, and 51.8% for type A, type B, and type C, respectively, relative to the conventional one. Moreover, the efficiency of the SS reached about 37.6% for type C; while, it reached about 27% for the conventional SS. Contrary to conventional SSs, the use of HSHLM resulted in increasing the productivity proportional to water depth.

Investigation on heat transfer enhancement of conventional and staggered fin solar air heater coated with CNT-black paint-an experimental approach.

The present study aims at a detailed experimental study of a passive-type solar air heater (SAH) on the effect of coating the absorber plate with higher thermal conductive black paint under forced circulation method and studied under the climatic conditions of Chennai. Furthermore, to enhance the thermal performance index of conventional SAH, additional enhancement such as coating and staggered fins are fixed to the absorber plate of duct which simultaneously increases the turbulent intensity, kinetic energy to enhance the temperature of outlet air. Comparisons are made with a solar air heater without coating and staggered fin in order to assess the thermal performance. Experiments were conducted on a continuous basis and the flow rates of air flowing through the duct are varied. Experimental results revealed that the effect of coating improved the plate temperature to a maximum of 102 °C while the modified SAH coated with ordinary black paint and staggered fin arrangement is found as 95 °C for the flow rate of mf = 0.03 kg/s. The difference in temperature between exit and inlet of conventional SAH with coating alone is found as 13.09 °C at a flow rate of mf = 0.03 kg/s whereas the average thermal efficiency is found as 22.3%. Similarly, increasing the mass flow rate from 0.13 to 0.22 kg/s has no significant improvement in average daily thermal efficiency, whereas the temperature difference decreases. The coating of absorber plate with higher thermal conductivity paint and increased turbulence created between the duct by using staggered fin improved the temperature of exit air by 63, 64, 38 and 35% for air flow rates of 0.03, 0.04, 0.13 and 0.22 kg/s respectively. On a flat absorber with coating, the average increase in temperature is found at 6.3% compared to that of SAH coated with ordinary black paint. The hourly thermal efficiency of the conventional type SAH with coating exhibited an enhancement of about 5% in thermal efficiency as compared to that of conventional type with black paint coating alone for the same climatic condition, whereas the thermal efficiency of staggered fin SAH with coating alone is enhanced by 7.5%. With staggered fin arrangement in the absorber plate, heat absorption by the air is increased with CNT-coated absorber and excessive turbulence produced by the fins enhanced the average temperature difference from 13.5 to 20.3 °C. The cost per unit kW of conventional type SAH with CNT-doped black paint reduced from 0.01754 $ to 0.00832 $/kW while varying the flow rate from 0.031 to 0.22 kg/s.

Ultra-fast vapor generation by a graphene nano-ratchet: a theoretical and simulation study.

Vapor generation is of prime importance for a broad range of applications: domestic water heating, desalination and wastewater treatment, etc. However, slow and inefficient evaporation limits its development. In this study, a nano-ratchet, a multilayer graphene with cone-shaped nanopores (MGCN), to accelerate vapor generation has been proposed. By performing molecular dynamics simulation, we found that air molecules were spontaneously transported across MGCN and resulted in a remarkable pressure difference, 21 kPa, between the two sides of MGCN. We studied the dependence of the pressure difference on the ambient temperature and geometry of MGCN in detail. Through further analysis of the diffusive transport, we found that pressure difference depended on the competition between ratchet transport and Knudsen diffusion and it was further found that ratchet transport is dominant. The significant pressure difference could lead to a 15-fold or greater enhancement of vapor generation, which shows the wide applications of this nano-ratchet.