Abstract
The demand for energy due to the population boom, together with the harmful consequences of fossil fuels, makes it essential to explore renewable thermal energy. Solar Thermal Systems (STS's) are important alternatives to conventional fossil fuels, owing to their ability to convert solar thermal energy into heat and electricity. However, improving the efficiency of solar thermal systems is the biggest challenge for researchers. Nanomaterial is an effective technique for improving the efficiency of STS's by using nanomaterials as working fluids. Therefore, the present theoretical study aims to explore the thermal energy characteristics of the flow of nanomaterials generated by the surface gradient (Marangoni convection) on a disk surface subjected to two different thermal energy modulations. Instead of the conventional Fourier heat flux law to examine heat transfer characteristics, the Cattaneo-Christov heat flux (Fourier's heat flux model) law is accounted for. The inhomogeneous nanomaterial model is used in mathematical modeling. The exponential form of thermal energy modulations is incorporated. The finite-difference technique along with Richardson extrapolation is used to treat the governing problem. The effects of the key parameters on flow distributions were analyzed in detail. Numerical calculations were performed to obtain correlations giving the reduced Nusselt number and the reduced Sherwood number in terms of relevant key parameters. The heat transfer rate of solar collectors increases due to the Marangoni convection. The thermophoresis phenomenon and chaotic movement of nanoparticles in a working fluid of solar collectors enhance the temperature distribution of the system. Furthermore, the thermal field is enhanced due to the thermal energy modulations. The results find applications in solar thermal exchanger manufacturing processes.