Abstract
The twenty-first century is experiencing a wave of technologies and innovations making use of unique features of nanofluids, in applications such as industrial and process heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, heat pipes, solar energy, thermal storage systems, electronic cooling systems and others. Recent literature indicates that suspending solid nanoparticles in traditional working fluids can enhance heat transfer rates by increasing thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficients. However, there is a wide variation in the extent of heat transfer enhancements reported in the literature. In this review, which mainly focuses on the research published within the last 5 years, experimental investigations from recent developments of nanofluids usage and performance in various heat transfer systems are summarised. In addition, heat transfer mechanisms in nanofluids, the challenges and future direction of nanofluids regarding heat transfer enhancement are discussed. Popular preparation methods of nanofluids and the models of thermophysical properties such as thermal conductivity and viscosity have been reviewed.
Highlights
The knowledge and understanding of heat transfer are important for the design of a wide range of industrial, commercial and domestic processes and appliances, including chemical processing, air conditioning and refrigeration, solar energy production and conversion, oil and gas industries and electronics cooling
The aim of this paper is to review the recent developments and the future prospects for nanofluids in heat transfer systems
This paper has reviewed experimental and theoretical developments of nanofluids in different applications
Summary
The knowledge and understanding of heat transfer are important for the design of a wide range of industrial, commercial and domestic processes and appliances, including chemical processing, air conditioning and refrigeration, solar energy production and conversion, oil and gas industries and electronics cooling. The improvement in the thermal performance of systems is termed ‘heat transfer enhancement’. Several techniques have been proposed as ways of enhancing heat transfer [1,2,3]. These techniques have been classified as passive or active (Table 1). Since the thermal conductivity of solids may be several orders of magnitude higher than the thermal conductivities of conventional heat transfer fluids such as water, oil or ethylene glycol (EG), the addition of highly conducting solid
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
