Enhancement of Thermal Efficiency of Heat Exchanger using Titanium – Oxide nanofluid

Abstract

Improvement of heat removal rate in heat exchanger using passive techniques is considered to be one of the most challenging task for engineers and scientist. In this study efficiency of the heat exchangers has been studied with TiO2/ water based nanofluid. The thermal properties, physical properties and heat removal efficiency of heat exchanger with nano-fluid as working fluid was investigated. Nanoparticle concentration of about 0.1 and 0.3 vol% was used. It was detected that the thermal conducting property and viscous property of the nanofluid increased proportionally with volume percentage. With the increased heat, the thermal conducting property increased while the viscous property of the nanofluid decreased. The heat removal rate on both shell outlet and tube outlet was estimated for different mass flow rate. The experiment results showed that with increased volume percentage and flow rate, the heat transfer performance improved. A maximum enhancement of 34% was observed at 0.3 vol% and 6l/min. Though there is increase in heat transfer rate the pressure dropped and pumping requirement increase with volume concentration and flow rate.