Experimental study of laminar forced convective heat transfer of deionized water based copper (I) oxide nanofluids in a tube with constant wall heat flux

Abstract

Nanofluids, having 1–100 nm size particles in any base fluid are promising fluid for heat transfer intensification due to their enhanced thermal conductivity as compared with the base fluid. The forced convection of nanofluids is the major practical application in heat transfer equipments. In this study, heat transfer enhancements at constant wall heat flux under laminar flow conditions were investigated. Nanofluids of different volume fractions (1, 2 and 4 %) of copper (I) oxide nanoparticles in deionized water were prepared using two step technique under mechanical mixing and ultrasonication. The results were investigated by increasing the Reynolds number of the nanofluids at constant heat flux. The trends of Nusselt number variation with dimensionless length (X/D) and Reynolds numbers were studied. It was observed that heat transfer coefficient increases with increases particles volume concentration and Reynolds number. The maximum enhancement in heat transfer coefficient of 61 % was observed with 4 % particle volume concentration at Reynolds number (Re ~ 605).