Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis of the heat transfer and fluid flow of copper (II) oxide-water nanofluid in a shell and tube heat exchanger

Abstract

Numerical analysis of the thermal and flow behavior of CuO-water nanofluid under turbulent regions in a shell and tube heat exchanger was conducted using ANSYS Fluent. Twenty-nine (29) nm diameter CuO nanoparticles, and water as base fluid were used in the study. The nanofluid was simulated at different particle loading (0.1 to 1%vol), and under three sets of Reynolds number (ranging from 17,000 to 71,000), to study the effects on heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, and nanofluid thermal and hydrodynamic behavior. Increasing the particle loading and Reynolds number was found to enhance both the heat transfer rate and pressure drop. A maximum of 48% enhancement in the heat transfer was observed at the highest particle loading, but with the consequence of doubled pressure drop. Performance indices greater than 1 were attained for particle loading below 0.25%vol, regardless of the Reynolds number. The conditions that produced the highest index were at the lowest particle loading and lowest Reynolds number. No significant difference in the flow behavior between water and CuO-water nanofluid was observed. However, the thermal profiles for 0.1%vol CuO-water nanofluid highlighted the enhancements in heat transfer along the shell and tube heat exchanger.