Investigation of Thermal Conductivity of Nanofluids Using Different Experimental Methodologies

Abstract

Thermal conductivity (k) of nanofluids has been a hot area of interest. However, controversy exists in majority of the reported results make the thermophysical property of nanofluids remains vague. Dose this disagreement come from different methodologies used by different groups or any other factors? Results on k of the nanofluids, prepared by dispersing 22nm-diameter spherical Fe3O4in Polymeric α-olefin (PAO), were presented using transient-hot-wire method and 3ω method to determine the consistency of two experimental methodologies. Within the uncertainty of both methods, the obtained data showed good agreement, which confirmed that the experiment technique was not the chief factor causing the discrepancy of reported results. Thermal conductivity of Fe3O4 nanofluids can not be predicted by existing model.