Abstract
The techno-economical analysis such as collector size, weight, cost, embodied energy, and environmental aspects were performed for Cu/water nanofluid flow in flat plate collector with various kinds of wire coil configurations based on the collector efficiency. Results show, the collector thermal efficiency is augmented for Cu/water nanofluids rather than water in the collector. By using phi = 0.3% nanofluid in collector its thermal efficiency is 61.47% but with water it is 56.68%; the collector thermal efficiency is further enhanced to 68.48% at phi = 0.3% nanofluid with wire coil configuration of p/d = 1.79. The collector area is reduced to 2.76 m(2) for phi = 0.3% nanofluid but it is 3 m(2) for water in the collector; collector area is further lowered to 2.48 m(2) for phi = 0.3% nanofluid with wire coil configuration of p/d = 1.79. The Nusselt number raise is 20.46% and further rose to 46.23% for phi = 0.3% nanofluid with wire coil configuration of p/d = 1.79 against water. The penalty in friction factor is 1.24- and 1.44-times for phi = 0.3% nanofluid with and without wire coil configuration of p/d = 1.79 over the water.