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Experimental investigation of natural convection heat transfer characteristics in MWCNT-thermal oil nanofluid

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Abstract

The carbon nanotubes are considered as one of the highest thermal conductive material which is having a variety of heat transfer applications. The suitability of carbon nanotubes in convective heat transfer is examined using multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)-thermal oil-based nanofluids. Stable nanofluids are prepared in the concentration range of 0–1 mass% and Prandtl number range of 415 ≤ Pr ≤ 600 using ultrasonication. The natural convection heat transfer behavior is studied experimentally in a vertical rectangular enclosure with aspect ratio 4. The heat transfer experiments are conducted at varying heat flux in the range of 1594–3150 W m−2. The heat transfer coefficient, Nusselt number and Rayleigh number are estimated for MWCNT-thermal oil-based nanofluids and are compared with pure thermal oil. A significant deterioration in heat transfer coefficient is observed at higher concentrations of nanofluids. The study signifies the adverse impact on the cooling performance of MWCNT-thermal oil-based nanofluids in natural convection heat transfer, even though higher thermal conductivities are observed in nanofluids. It is found that not only thermal conductivity is essential property in heat transfer, but other thermophysical properties are also influential towards thermal management.

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Abbreviations

\(A\) :

Heat transfer area in the test cell (m2)

\({\text{AR}}\) :

Aspect ratio (m)

\(Cp\) :

Specific heat capacity of cooling water (kJ kg−1 °C)

\(Cp_{\text{bf}}\) :

Specific heat capacity of base-fluid (kJ kg−1 °C)

\(Cp_{\text{nf}}\) :

Specific heat capacity of nanofluid (kJ kg−1 °C)

\(E_{{{\text{h}},\;\hbox{max} }}\) :

Maximum possible uncertainty for heat transfer coefficient (–)

\(E_{\text{I}}\) :

Maximum possible uncertainty for ammeter (–)

\(E_{\text{MB}}\) :

Maximum possible uncertainty for mass balance (–)

\(E_{\text{T}}\) :

Maximum possible uncertainty for temperature (–)

\(E_{\text{V}}\) :

Maximum possible uncertainty for voltmeter (–)

\(g\) :

Acceleration due to gravity (m s−2)

\(Gr\) :

Grashof number (–)

\(h\) :

Heat transfer coefficient (W m−2 °C)

\(I\) :

Current (Ampere)

\(k_{\text{bf}}\) :

Thermal conductivity of base-fluid (W m−1 °C)

\(k_{\text{nf}}\) :

Thermal conductivity of nanofluid (W m−1 °C)

\(k_{\text{w}}\) :

Thermal conductivity of the wall (W m−1 °C)

\(m\) :

Mass flow rate of cooling water (kg s−1)

\(m_{\text{bf}}\) :

Mass of base-fluid (kg)

\(m_{\text{np}}\) :

Mass of nanoparticle (kg)

\(Nu\) :

Nusselt number (–)

\(Pr\) :

Prandtl number (–)

\(q\) :

Heat flux (W m−2)

\(Q\) :

Heat transfer rate (W)

\(Q_{\text{C}}\) :

Heat transfer rate at the cold side (W)

\(Q_{\text{H}}\) :

Heat transfer rate at the hot side (W)

\(Ra\) :

Rayleigh number (–)

\(t\) :

Time (s)

\(T\) :

Temperature (°C)

\(T_{\text{avg}}\) :

Average temperature (°C)

\(T_{\text{C}}\) :

Corrected surface temperature of the cold wall (°C)

\(T_{{{\text{C}},\,{\text{out}}}}\) :

Temperature of cold wall (°C)

\(T_{\text{H}}\) :

Corrected surface temperature of the hot wall (°C)

\(T_{{{\text{H}},\,{\text{out}}}}\) :

Temperature of hot wall (°C)

\(T_{\text{in}}\) :

Temperature of cooling water inlet (°C)

\(T_{\text{out}}\) :

Temperature of cooling water outlet (°C)

\(V\) :

Voltage (V)

\({\text{wt}}.{\text{fr}}\) :

Weight fraction of nanoparticles in nanofluid (–)

\(x\) :

Position of the thermocouples (m)

\(x_{\text{w}}\) :

Thickness of the wall (m)

\(\beta\) :

Coefficient of thermal expansion (1/°C)

\(\beta_{\text{bf}}\) :

Coefficient of thermal expansion of base-fluid (1/°C)

\(\beta_{\text{nf}}\) :

Coefficient of thermal expansion of nanofluid (1/°C)

\(\beta_{\text{np}}\) :

Coefficient of thermal expansion of nanoparticle (1/°C)

\(\varphi_{\text{P}}\) :

Weight fraction of nanoparticles (–)

\(\varphi_{\text{v}}\) :

Volume fraction of nanoparticles (–)

\(\rho\) :

Density (kg m−3)

\(\rho_{\text{bf}}\) :

Density of base-fluid (kg m−3)

\(\rho_{\text{nf}}\) :

Density of nanofluid (kg m−3)

\(\rho_{\text{np}}\) :

Density of nanoparticle (kg m−3)

\(\mu\) :

Viscosity (Pa s)

\(\mu_{\text{bf}}\) :

Viscosity of base-fluid (Pa s)

\(\mu_{\text{nf}}\) :

Viscosity of nanofluid (Pa s)

\(\delta\) :

Distance between hot and cold walls (m)

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by Chemical Engineering Department of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS. The financial assistance is provided by YUTP 0153AA-E28.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610, Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

    Suhaib Umer Ilyas & Rajashekhar Pendyala

  2. Fundamental and Applied Sciences Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610, Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

    Marneni Narahari

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  1. Suhaib Umer Ilyas
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  2. Rajashekhar Pendyala
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Correspondence to Rajashekhar Pendyala.

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Ilyas, S.U., Pendyala, R. & Narahari, M. Experimental investigation of natural convection heat transfer characteristics in MWCNT-thermal oil nanofluid. J Therm Anal Calorim 135, 1197–1209 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-018-7546-7

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