Effect of CuO Nanoparticles in Enhancing the Thermal Conductivities of Monoethylene Glycol and Paraffin Fluids

Abstract

The effect of CuO nanoparticles on the thermal conductivities of paraffin and monoethylene glycol (MEG) was investigated. An enhancement in the effective thermal conductivity was found for both fluids. This enhancement was studied with regard to various factors: nanoparticle concentration, nanoparticle size, and base-fluid type. For both base fluids, an improvement in thermal conductivity was found as nanoparticle concentration increased; this was attributed to an increase in particle-to-particle interactions. It was also found that, as the particle size was reduced, there was also an improvement in the thermal conductivities of the fluids. A reduction in nanoparticle size leads to an increase in the Brownian motion of the particles, which also causes more particle-to-particle interactions. The role that the base fluid plays in the observed enhancement is complex. Lower fluid viscosities are believed to contribute to greater enhancement, but a second effect, the interaction of the fluid with the nanoparti...