Heat transfer analysis and enhancement in shell and tube heat exchanger using copper oxide Nano particles

Abstract

In recent days, wide variety of experiments had been carried out to analyze the effect of Nano fluid in improving the heat transfer rate of heat exchangers. Nano fluids prove to be a better option in enhancing heat transfer characteristics when compared to conventional fluids. Enhancement of heat transfer using Nano fluid mainly depends on type of nanoparticles, their size, their shape, types of base fluid as well as their concentration to which they are mixed with the base fluid. This research aims to investigate the effect of CuO / water Nano fluids on the enhancement of heat transfer inside a shell and tube heat exchanger at variable inlet temperature. Two different concentrations of 0.2% and 0.4% by volume concentration prepared by single step method has been used at various inlet temperature. The experimental setup consists of multi tube shell and tube heat exchanger with counter flow arrangement. Observation shows that there is significant increase in heat transfer with the increase in volume concentration of Nano particles. By maintaining a constant mass flow rate of 0.0456 kg/sec in both cold and hot side, heat transfer coefficient increases by 18%.