A simple analytical model for calculating the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids

Abstract

AbstractA simple mathematical model for calculating the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids has been developed based on the thermal resistance approach. The model is developed by considering both effects of a solid‐like nanolayer and convective heat transfer caused by Brownian motion which have not been considered simultaneously by most available models in the literature. In addition the correlation of Prasher and Phelan for the convective heat transfer coefficient is modified to take into account the effect of the solid‐like nanolayer. In addition a general value for n (different from the one presented by Tillman and Hill) is introduced to modify the thickness of the solid‐like nanolayer. The latter is done by considering both conduction and convection heat transfer mechanisms. Comparisons with previously published experimental results and other mathematical models show that the presented model could well predict a nanofluids effective thermal conductivity as a function of the nanoparticles mean diameter, volume fraction, and temperature for different kinds of nanofluids. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/htj.20290