Performance study and analysis of Al2O3 Nanofluid under different flow conditions

• Published in: Hyperfine interactions 2024-08, Vol.245 (1)
• Main Authors: Sivakumar, V, Visagavel, K, Kumaraswamy, J, Balaji, E, Khalkar, V, Gnanavel, C, Chakravarthy P R Kalyana, Baskar, S, Vijayan, V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Boundary layers; Conduction heating; Conductive heat transfer; Convective heat transfer; Demineralizing; Enthalpy; Evaporators; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Heat flux; Heat transfer; Heat transfer coefficients; Heat transmission; Industrial applications; Inserts; Nanofluids; Nanoparticles; Nusselt number; Pressure drop; Reynolds number; Thermal conductivity; Thermal management; Turbulent flow; Wall temperature
• ISSN: 0304-3843; 1572-9540
• DOI: 10.1007/s10751-024-02020-x

Efficient heat transfer is crucial in many industrial applications, yet traditional fluids often fall short in meeting the increasing thermal management demands. This study aims to address this problem by investigating the performance of Al2O3 nanofluids under various flow conditions to enhance heat transfer rates. The purpose of this research is to analyze how different concentrations of Al2O3 nanoparticles and varying Reynolds numbers affect the thermal performance of the nanofluids. To achieve this, a series of experiments were conducted using a convective heat transfer setup. Al2O3 nanoparticles were dispersed in a base fluid at concentrations ranging from 0.1% to 1.0% by volume. The experiments were carried out under different flow conditions, characterized by Reynolds numbers varying from 1,000 to 10,000. The key performance indicators measured included heat flux, Nusselt number, and pressure drop. The results demonstrated a significant enhancement in heat transfer rates with the addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles. Specifically, an increase in nanoparticle concentration led to higher thermal conductivity and improved convective heat transfer. Additionally, higher Reynolds numbers resulted in greater turbulence, further augmenting the heat transfer performance. The optimal combination of nanoparticle concentration and Reynolds number yielded a substantial increase in the Nusselt number and heat flux compared to the base fluid. Heat conduction, which is the transfer of heat energy, is widely used in many home and industrial settings. It has been a crucial area of study since ancient times. This research studied the efficiency of Al2O3 nano fluid in facilitating effective heat transmission in several sectors, including pigmenting, dying, and evaporators. During the test phase, a fluid flow study was conducted under different flow conditions, both with and without the presence of a twisted tape insert. The investigation revealed that the heat flux for demineralized water rose from 1256 W/m2 to 1358 W/m2, while for nano fluid at a lower Reynolds number of 5000, it climbed from 3075 W/m2 to 4737 W/m2. Insert was seen with the increase in wall temperature. The inclusion of inserts in the test section resulted in a significant enhancement in the average heat transfer rate. Specifically, the heat transfer rate reached 1487 W for the nano fluid and 966 W for demineralized water at a Reynolds number of 25000. The overall heat transfer coefficient increased by 39.3