The effect of type and size of nanoparticles and porosity on the pool boiling heat transfer of water/Fe nanofluid: Molecular dynamics approach

Abstract

BackgroundToday, pool boiling heat transfer (PBHT) is always one of the most important challenges in engineering. One way to increase the PBHT of fluids is using of nanoparticles. MethodsIn the present study, the effect of nanoparticle type (Cu, Ag, and Fe) and size (Fe radius of 10, 15, and 30 Å) and porosity (1, 2.5, and 5%) on PBHT of water/Fe nanofluid are examined using molecular dynamics (MD) method. To investigate the PBHT of simulated structures, the change in heat flux and phase change duration is calculated. Outcomes display that the heat flux has an increase-decrease-increase process, which indicates the pool boiling process in the simulated samples, and it has reached the maximum value for nanofluids with Fe nanoparticles. The addition of Fe, Cu, and Ag nanoparticles decreases the phase change duration to 0.33, 0.24, and 0.28 ns, respectively. While the radius of the Fe nanoparticles enhances, the heat flux increases, and the phase change duration reduces from 0.33 ns to 0.27 ns. Significant findingsAs the porosity increases from 1 to 5%, the heat flux increases, and the phase change duration reduces from 0.30 to 0.21 ns. The results of this simulation are expected to be effective in the PBHT of nanofluids.