Heat transfer and mechanical friction reduction properties of graphene oxide nanofluids

Abstract

A large amount of energy consumption has been caused by friction and inefficient heat transfer in the industry. Current research suggests a promising future for graphene nanofluids. In this paper, graphene oxide-deionized water (GO-DI) nanofluids with both friction reduction and high efficiency heat transfer properties was prepared by a two-step method in this paper. The graphene oxide was characterized using FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, XPS and SEM. The dispersion stability of nanofluids was analyzed by dynamic light scattering. An experimental system for measuring the convective heat transfer coefficient of nanofluids was established. The convection heat transfer and friction properties of GO-DI nanofluid were tested. The experimental results show that the addition of GO nanoparticles to the base fluid increases the convective heat transfer coefficient. The proportion of Nunf/Nuf of nanofluids increases from 1.02 to 1.18 as volume fraction rises. For GO-DI nanofluids, the friction coefficient decreased 71% compared to deionized water, when 0.1 vol% of GO and 3 N normal load were applied. The abrasion loss in 0.05 vol% GO-DI nanofluids was 18.5% less than that in deionized water. The association equation for calculating the convective heat transfer coefficient was proposed and the friction reduction mechanism of GO-DI nanofluids was elucidated.