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Thermal performance analysis of nanofluids in a thermosyphon heat pipe using CFD modeling

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Abstract

A computational fluid dynamics model for simulation of a thermosyphon with two-phase flow including phase change heat transfer was developed. De-ionized water and CuO/Water nanofluid were used as working fluids in the thermosyphon. Results show that, maximum heat flux of the nanofluid is about 46 % higher than that of water. Also by increasing the nanofluid concentration, the wall temperature decreases, and the concentration of 1 wt% is the optimum concentration.

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Abbreviations

c p :

Heat capacity (J/kg K)

g:

Gravity acceleration (m/s2)

p:

Pressure (Pa)

q:

Heat flux (W/m2)

Q:

Input power (W)

SE :

Energy source (J/m3 s)

Sf :

Momentum source (kg/m2 s2)

T:

Temperature (K)

\( \bar{T}_{e} \) :

Mean evaporator wall temperature (K)

Ts :

Saturation temperature (K)

t:

Time (s)

V:

Velocity (m/s)

X:

Volume fraction

α :

Phase index

φ:

Nanoparticles mass fraction

μ :

Viscosity (Pa s)

k :

Effective thermal conductivity

ρ :

Density (kg/m3)

ΔH :

Vaporization enthalpy (J/kg)

e:

Evaporator

c:

Condenser

h:

Heat source

nf:

Nanofluid

w:

Water (base fluid)

s:

Solid particle

sat:

Saturation

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their appreciation to the Iranian Nanotechnology Initiative Council for their financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, 8415683111, Isfahan, Iran

    L. Asmaie, M. Haghshenasfard, A. Mehrabani-Zeinabad & M. Nasr Esfahany

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  1. L. Asmaie
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  2. M. Haghshenasfard
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  3. A. Mehrabani-Zeinabad
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  4. M. Nasr Esfahany
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Correspondence to M. Haghshenasfard.

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Asmaie, L., Haghshenasfard, M., Mehrabani-Zeinabad, A. et al. Thermal performance analysis of nanofluids in a thermosyphon heat pipe using CFD modeling. Heat Mass Transfer 49, 667–678 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-013-1110-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-013-1110-6

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