article · International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer
Combining the high surface area and thermal conductivity of graphene oxide with the stability and low volatility of ionic liquids can boost heat efficiency in solar collectors. This theoretical investigation modelled the fluid flow of various blends, including pure ionic liquid with graphene oxide, water and ionic liquid mixtures, and water with graphene oxide. The mathematical formulation incorporated nonlinear free convection, thermal radiation, heat absorption, and slip phenomena, solved using the Garlakin weighted residual method. Thermal energy rose alongside increases in nonlinear convection, radiation, and heat absorption parameters. Notably, the pure ionic liquid and graphene oxide mixture achieved a 36.8 percent higher thermal energy efficiency than water alone, matching experimental data showing a 37.4 percent increase. Higher concentrations are suited to high-intensity solar settings, whereas water prevents overheating in moderate sunlight.
Solar thermal collectors require efficient fluids to capture and transport heat from sunlight. By confirming that ionic liquids combined with graphene oxide significantly outperform traditional water, this work shows how custom fluid mixtures can improve energy capture. It offers clear criteria for tailoring fluid formulations to solar intensity, helping prevent overheating in milder conditions while maximising energy capture under strong sunlight.
This work is relevant to solar collector manufacturers and thermal energy system developers. It can inform the formulation of heat-transfer fluids for high-intensity solar installations. Because this study is theoretical modelling that validates against existing experimental data, it represents early-stage research rather than an off-the-shelf product ready for deployment.
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The combination of the extensive surface area and thermal conductivity of graphene oxide (GO) with the thermal stability and low volatility of ionic liquid (IL) enhances thermal energy efficiency in solar collectors. This study theoretically examined the flow characteristics of various nanofluids in a solar collector, specifically ionic liquid/GO, a mixture of 75% ionic liquid and 25% water (H 2 O)/GO, a 50% ionic liquid and 50% water/GO blend, and water/GO. To accurately assess the effects of buoyancy, solar radiation, nanoparticle absorption, and the overall thermal energy transfer from the boundary to the collector, this study incorporates nonlinear free convection, nonlinear thermal radiation, heat absorption, and slip and jump phenomena under convective conditions. The mathematical model was developed using non-similarity variables, and the results were obtained using the Garlakin weighted residual method (GWRM). This study demonstrates that an increase in the nonlinear free convective parameter, nonlinear thermal radiation, and heat absorption enhances the thermal energy of the nanofluid within the collector. The pure ionic liquid combined with graphene oxide (IL/GO) nanofluid demonstrated a thermal energy efficiency that exceeded that of water by 36.8%, which quantitatively corroborated the experimental result of 37.4%. This indicates that increased IL/GO nanofluid concentrations are optimal for high-intensity solar applications, whereas water is preferable for moderate solar conditions to prevent overheating.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2025.108845
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