ABSTRACT
The thermal properties of graphene have proved to be exceptional and are partly maintained in its multi-layered form, graphene nanoplatelets (GnP). Since these carbon-based nanostructures are hydrophobic, functionalization is needed in order to assess their long-term stability in aqueous suspensions. In this study, the convective heat transfer performance of a polycarboxylate chemically modified GnP dispersion in water at 0.50 wt% is experimentally analyzed. After designing the nanofluid, dynamic viscosity, thermal conductivity, isobaric heat capacity and density are measured using rotational rheometry, the transient hot-wire technique, differential scanning calorimetry and vibrating U-tube methods, respectively, in a wide temperature range. The whole analysis of thermophysical and rheological properties is validated by two laboratories. Afterward, an experimental facility is used to evaluate the heat transfer performance in a turbulent regime. Convective heat transfer coefficients are obtained using the thermal resistances method, reaching enhancements for the nanofluid of up to 13%. The reported improvements are achieved without clear enhancements in the nanofluid thermal conductivity. Finally, dimensionless analyses are carried out by employing the Nusselt and Péclet numbers and Darcy friction factor.
ABSTRACT
Convection heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops of four functionalized graphene nanoplatelet nanofluids based on the commercial coolant Havoline® XLC Pre-mixed 50/50 were experimentally determined to assess its thermal performance. The potential heat transfer enhancement produced by nanofluids could play an important role in increasing the efficiency of cooling systems. Particularly in wind power, the increasing size of the wind turbines, up to 10 MW nowadays, requires sophisticated liquid cooling systems to keep the nominal temperature conditions and protect the components from temperature degradation and hazardous environment in off-shore wind parks. The effect of nanoadditive loading, temperature and Reynolds number in convection heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops is discussed. A dimensionless analysis of the results is carried out and empirical correlations for the Nusselt number and Darcy friction factor are proposed. A maximum enhancement in the convection heat transfer coefficient of 7% was found for the nanofluid with nanoadditive loading of 0.25 wt %. Contrarily, no enhancement was found for the nanofluids of higher functionalized graphene nanoplatelet mass fraction.
ABSTRACT
Nanofluids, dispersions of nanosized solid particles in liquids, have been conceived as thermally-improved heat transfer fluids from their conception. More recently, they have also been considered as alternative working fluids to improve the performance of direct absorption solar thermal collectors, even at low nanoadditive concentrations. Carbon-based nanomaterials have been breaking ground in both applications as nanoadditives during the last decade due to their high thermal conductivities and the huge transformation of optical properties that their addition involves. In any application field, rheological behavior became a central concern because of its implications in the pumping power consumption. In this work, the rheological behavior of four different loaded dispersions (0.25, 0.50, 1.0, and 2.0 wt%) of six carbon-based nanomaterials (carbon black, two different phase content nanodiamonds, two different purity graphite/diamond mixtures, and sulfonic acid-functionalized graphene nanoplatelets) in ethylene glycol:water mixture 50:50 vol% have been analysed. For this purpose, a rotational rheometer with double cone geometry was employed, which included a special cover to avoid mass losses due to evaporation at elevated temperatures. The flow curves of the twenty-four nanofluids and the base fluid were obtained by varying the shear rate between 1 and 1000 s-1 for seven different temperatures in the range from 283.15 to 353.15 K. The shear-thinning behaviors identified, as well as their dependences on carbon-based nanomaterial, concentration, and temperature, were analyzed. In addition, oscillatory tests were performed for samples with the clearest Non-Newtonian response, varying the deformation from 0.1 to 1000% with constant frequency and temperature. The dependence of the behaviors identified on the employed carbon-based nanomaterial was described.
ABSTRACT
The low thermal conductivity of fluids used in many industrial applications is one of the primary limitations in the development of more efficient heat transfer systems. A promising solution to this problem is the suspension of nanoparticles with high thermal conductivities in a base fluid. These suspensions, known as nanofluids, have great potential for enhancing heat transfer. The heat transfer enhancement of sulfonic acid-functionalized graphene nanoplatelet water-based nanofluids is addressed in this work. A new experimental setup was designed for this purpose. Convection coefficients, pressure drops, and thermophysical properties of various nanofluids at different concentrations were measured for several operational conditions and the results are compared with those of pure water. Enhancements in thermal conductivity and in convection heat transfer coefficient reach 12% (1 wt %) and 32% (0.5 wt %), respectively. New correlations capable of predicting the Nusselt number and the friction factor of this kind of nanofluid as a function of other dimensionless quantities are developed. In addition, thermal performance factors are obtained from the experimental convection coefficient and pressure drop data in order to assess the convenience of replacing the base fluid with designed nanofluids.
