Nanofluid selection for an automobile radiator using weighted sum model technique

• Main Authors: Babu, S. Ravi, Varma, K. P. V. Krishna, Babu, P. Ramesh
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Decision making; Heat transfer; Heat transfer coefficients; Metal oxides; Multiple criterion; Nanofluids; Nanoparticles; Radiators; Silicon dioxide; Thermal conductivity; Thermal expansion; Titanium dioxide; Zeta potential; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0118422

Nanofluid is the latest heat transfer fluid which offers great performance in terms of enhanced heat transfer coefficient. Nanofluid is used as a coolant in automobile radiator for better heat transfer. There are so many nanoparticles like metallic, metallic oxide, ceramic, semiconductor, carbon based are commercially available and all of those particles show different properties. Thus, selection of the best possible Nano particles to prepare Nanofluid is a vital part in the entire process. The selection of nanoparticles should be such that it offers best possible thermal performance at low cost of nanoparticles. In the present study, weighted sum model (WSM) technique is taken among multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) methods in order to select the best possible material among the metal oxide Nano particles Al2O3, TiO2, SiO2, Fe2O3, CuO, ZnO. This WSM technique is a simple and very reliable technique in choosing the best option. In this study, properties of Nano particles such as thermal conductivity (K), density (ρ), specific heat (Cp), zeta potential (Z), thermal expansion coefficient (β) and cost (C) are taken as attributes. Among these, cost is the non-beneficiary attribute and others are beneficiary attributes. It is found that Al2O3 is the best possible option among the Nano particles selected for the study.