Comparative performance analysis of internal combustion engine water jacket coolant using a mix of Al2O3 and CuO-based nanofluid and ethylene glycol

Abstract

Today the need to have lighter, cheaper, better and more efficient internal combustion engines has become of ever increasing importance. The application of new regulations, like EURO 7, that restrict emissions even more, are forcing the big automakers to invest in new technologies and researches that will be used in new engines. In this paper, a comparative study of engine coolant type is presented using a conjugate heat transfer (CHT) simulation. First, a mix of 50% ethylene glycol and 50% water was used as water jacket coolant, and then nanofluids based on Al2O3 and CuO were used. The addition of Al2O3 and CuO nanoparticles in the base fluid caused an improvement in the cooling capacity, increasing the Nusselt number value by 12.25% and 16.64%, respectively and, consequently, the total heat transfer increased by 2.22%, for the nanofluid with Al2O3 nanoparticles, and 2.79%, for the nanofluid with CuO. The nanofluids implementation brought a negative consequence at flow velocities, decreasing the coolant mean velocity up to 39% for the CuO nanofluid.