Convective heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of graphene-water nanofluids in transitional flow

Abstract

The convective heat transfer and flow behavior of graphene-water nanofluids are studied experimentally by focusing on transitional flow. Graphene-water nanofluids with different particle mass fractions (0.025, 0.1 and 0.2%) are produced following two-step method and using PVP as a surfactant. Thermo-physical characterization is performed by measuring viscosity and thermal conductivity of the nanofluids. Convection characteristics are experimentally studied from laminar to turbulent flow regimes. It is seen that pressure drop increases dramatically in the transition region, and laminar to turbulent transition shifts to lower Reynolds numbers with increasing nanoparticle concentration. The transition initiates at a Reynolds number of 2475 for water, while it initiates at 2315 for the nanofluid with 0.2% particle mass fraction. Increase in mean heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt numbers are nearly identical at different Reynolds numbers and axial positions along the test tube in the laminar flow for nanofluids and water due to dominance of conduction enhancement mechanisms on the heat transfer increase in laminar flow. Beyond laminar flow regime, enhancement of Nusselt number is observed indicating that thermophoresis and Brownian motion are more effective heat transfer augmentation mechanisms. The maximum heat transfer enhancement is observed as 36% for a Reynolds number of 3950.