Numerical investigation of a dual- purpose solar collector using different liquids

Abstract This study examines the impact of various heat transfer fluids - water, Therminol VP-1, and Dowtherm A - on the efficacy of a dual-purpose solar collector. Using ANSYS Fluent for computational fluid dynamics, analysis was conducted under constant parameters, including inlet temperatures and solar energy. Results showed that the outlet air temperature increased by 6.67% for Therminol VP-1 and 6% for Dowtherm A, while exit liquid temperatures rose by 14.33% and 13.7%, respectively. Total heat gain and thermal efficiency improved by 21.5% and 20%, respectively, when using Therminol VP-1 and Dowtherm A compared to water. This study is novel in being the first to evaluate these two oil-based fluids alongside water in a dual-purpose solar collector. Overall, Therminol VP-1 and Dowtherm A enhance the thermal efficiency of the dual-purpose solar collector, making them effective alternatives to water as heat transfer fluids.