Radiation heat transfer within a solar system considering nanofluid flow inside the absorber tube

Purpose This paper aims to model solar unit equipped with mirrors with numerical simulation. To augment the efficiency of system, absorber pipe was equipped with fins and nanomaterial was used as carrier fluid. Existence of secondary reflector results in better optical efficiency. Design/methodology/approach Finite volume approach is used for modeling which is done in two steps. The first one is done to achieve the heat flux distribution and second step to model turbulent flow inside the pipe. Verification has been presented for calculation of important functions (f and Nu). Outputs reveal the impacts of fin height (HF), number of fin (NF), inlet temperature (T-in) and velocity on irreversibility, thermal treatment. Findings Surface temperature decreases by 0.498, 0.07 and 0.017% with intensify of Re, HF and NF, respectively, when other factors were minimum. With augment of T-in, wall temperature increases about 9.87%. Given NF = 8, HF = 3 mmm, growth of Re makes Darcy factor to decrease about 28.28%, but it augments the Nu by 2.63%. Nu augments with rise of NF and HF about 2.63 and 7.66%. Irreversibility reduces about 29.5 and 11.65% with augment of NF and HF, respectively. Originality/value Numerical simulations for solar unit equipped with mirrors were reported in this modeling. To augment the efficiency of system, absorber pipe was equipped with fins and nanomaterial was used as carrier fluid. Existence of secondary reflector results in better optical efficiency. Finite volume approach is used for modeling which is done in two steps. The first one is done to achieve the heat flux distribution and second step to model turbulent flow inside the pipe. Verification has been presented for calculation of important functions (f and Nu). Outputs reveal the impacts of fin height (HF), number of fin (NF), inlet temperature (T-in) and velocity on irreversibility, thermal treatment.