EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON HEAT TRANSFER ENHANCEMENT USING NANOFLUIDS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/ny7jzx97Keywords:
Nanofluids, Heat transfer enhancement, Thermal conductivity, Convective heat transfer, NanoparticlesAbstract
Heat transfer enhancement is a critical requirement in modern engineering systems such as power plants, automotive cooling, and electronic devices. Conventional heat transfer fluids, including water and ethylene glycol, have limited thermal conductivity, which restricts their performance in high-efficiency applications. This study experimentally investigates the potential of nanofluids to improve heat transfer characteristics. Aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) nanoparticles were dispersed in distilled water at different volume concentrations (0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%) to prepare nanofluids using ultrasonic agitation for uniform stability. Experiments were conducted in a heated tube under controlled laminar and turbulent flow conditions. The convective heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number were evaluated and compared with those of the base fluid. The results showed a significant enhancement in heat transfer performance, with up to 30% improvement at higher nanoparticle concentrations. This enhancement is attributed to increased thermal conductivity, Brownian motion, and micro-convection effects. However, an increase in viscosity and pressure drop was also observed, indicating a trade-off between heat transfer improvement and flow resistance. Overall, nanofluids demonstrate strong potential as advanced heat transfer fluids for efficient thermal systems.
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