Heat transfer properties of metal, metal oxides, and carbon water-based nanofluids in the ethanol condensation process

Abstract

This work investigates the convective heat transfer enhancement of water-based nanofluids in pipe heat exchanger used for the ethanol condensation process. The nanofluids were produced with different nature of nanoparticles, Cu, Fe3O4, MWCNT, and graphene, in the volume concentration 0.01–0.1%, using different surfactants. These nanoparticles are characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), specific surface area (BET), and Dynamic light scattering (DLS). Density, thermal conductivity, and viscosity of base fluids and nanofluids were experimentally determined at a relevant temperature of 20 °C. Convective heat transfer enhancement under laminar regime was evaluated from a well-designed experimental setup. As the main results, the thermal conductivity of nanofluids increases up to 3–5% and the viscosity can increase or decrease with nanoparticle concentration, showing a lubricating effect of nanoparticles coupled with respective surfactant. It was shown that the heat transfer properties, heat transfer coefficient, and Nusselt number, are increased with nanofluids compared to water and base-fluids, up to 20%, in the range of Pe 2000–10000. Experimental heat transfer properties are shown to be greater than theoretical ones. Finally, copper nanofluid at low concentration appear to be the best candidate for the application and pipe flow geometry considered.