Abstract The impact of a twisted turbulator in a parabolic solar collector on the improvement of thermal–hydraulic performance (THP), as well as energy and exergy Efficiency of MgO-Cu/water hybrid nanofluid (HNF) is numerically evaluated. The main goal of this study is to use a twisted turbulator with pitch ratios (γ) of 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 for Reynolds numbers (Re) of 8000 to 32,000 and volume fractions (ϕ) of 1, 2, and 3% of MgO and Cu nanoparticles. Numerical simulation findings are reported in the form of graphs of average Nusselt number (Nuave), pressure drop (Δp), THP, energy Efficiency ( η c ) , and exergy Efficiency ( η ex ) . It can be concluded that Nuave and Δp depends on ϕ and Re and augments linearly with their values. Moreover, Nuave and Δp increases significantly by increasing the pitch ratio of the turbulator. The results revealed that the maximum values of augmentation of η c and η ex are respectively 23.79% and 21.15% by raising Re from 8000 to 32000. In a SC with a turbulator with γ = 2 and ϕ = 3%, η c is raised by 24.16% by increasing Re from 8000 to 32000; while, in the case of γ = 2.5 and ϕ = 3%, η c is enhanced by 18.2%.