The influence of nanofluid PH on natural convection

The vast majority of experimental studies of nanofluids under natural convection have shown that the heat transfer rate decreases in contrast to observations of increased heat transfer rate for forced convection and boiling heat transfer. This surprising result has not been fully understood and the purpose of this study is to shed light on the physics behind the decrease of heat transfer in Al 2 O 3 – deionised (DI) H 2 O nanofluids under natural convection. A classical Rayleigh-Benard configuration has been employed, where the test medium is heated from the bottom and cooled from the top of an optically accessible chamber, while the sidewalls are insulated. Al 2 O 3 – H 2 O nanofluids with nanoparticle concentration within the range of 0.03 to 0.12 vol. % are used and tested under turbulent natural convection, Rayleigh number Ra ~ 10 9 , until steady state conditions are reached. For the synthesis of the nanofluid, pure DI water and high purity nanopowder, supplied by two different vendors, are involved with and without adopting the electrostatic stabilization method. The temperature measurements at different locations around the chamber allow the quantification of the natural convection heat transfer coefficient and the corresponding Nusselt and Rayleigh numbers. All the measured quantities are compared with those for DI water that serves as a benchmark in this study. It is found that the presence of nanoparticles systematically decreases the heat transfer performance of the base fluid under natural convection. An explanation for the reported degradation can be attributed to the buoyant and gravitational forces acting in the system that appear to be inadequate to ensure or maintain good nanofluid mixing. The results also show that as the nanoparticle concentration increases, the temperature of the heating plate increases, suggesting the presence of an additional thermal barrier imposed at the hot plate of the chamber. This can be attributed to the formation of a stationary thin layer structure of nanoparticles and liquid close to the heating plate that is qualitatively observed to increase in thickness as the nanoparticle concentration increases. The addition of a small amount of acetic acid to control the pH value of the nanofluid reduces the thickness of the thin layer structure close to the hot plate, leading to reduction of the rate of heat transfer decrease . A similar behaviour is observed when a different nanopowder that forms an acidic suspension is used. This behaviour is credited to the significantly increased nanofluid stability attained through the electrostatic stabilization method. Such a method takes advantage of the repulsive forces imposed due to the electric double layers that surround individual nanoparticles. The understanding of the influence of the nanofluid pH on the stability of nanosuspensions and its impact on heat transfer rate can lead to future guidelines for the effective use of nanofluids

Studies In Small Scale Thermal Convection

The effect of non-Fourier heat transfer and partial-slip boundary conditions in Rayleigh-Bénard are analyzed theoretically. Non-Fourier fluids possess a relaxation time that reflects the delay in the response of the heat flux to a change in the temperature gradient while the partial slip boundary condition assumes that the fluid velocity and temperature are not equal to that of the wall. Both non-Fourier and partial-slip effects become important when small-scale heat transfer applications are investigated such as convection around micro- and nano-devices as suggested by the extended heat transport equations from kinetic theory. Other applications are also known to exhibit one or both of these effects such as low-temperature liquids, nanofluids, granular flows, rarefied gases and polymer flows. Small scale effects are measured by the Knudsen number. From this, non-Fourier effects can be estimated, measured non-dimensionally by the Cattaneo number and modelled using the frame indifferent Cattaneo-Vernotte equation which is derived from Oldroyd’s upper-convected derivative. Linear stability of non-Fourier fluids shows that the neutral stability curve possesses a stationary Fourier branch and an oscillatory branch intersecting at some wave number, where for small relaxation time, no change in stability is expected from that of a Fourier fluid. As the relaxation time increases to a critical value, both stationary and oscillatory convection become equally probable. Past this value, oscillatory instability is expected to occur at a smaller Rayleigh number and larger wave number than for a Fourier fluid. Non-linear analysis of weakly non-Fourier fluids shows that near the onset of convection, the convective roll intensity is stronger than for a Fourier fluid. The bifurcation to convection changes from subcritical to supercritical as the Cattaneo number increases and the instability of the convection state for a non-Fourier fluid is shown to occur via a Hopf bifurcation at lower Rayleigh number and higher Nusselt number than for a Fourier fluid. When hydrodynamic slip and temperature jump boundary conditions are considered, a significant reduction in the minimum critical Rayleigh number and corresponding wave number are found. Depending on the sign used for second-order coefficients, critical conditions can be greater than or less than that for first-order boundary conditions

Large Scale Dynamic Molecular Modelling of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles in Engineering and Biological Fluids

Nanoparticles (NP) offer great merits over controlling thermal, chemical and physical properties when compared to their micro-sized counterparts. The effectiveness of the dispersion of the NP is the key aspect of the applications in nanotechnology. The project studies the characterization and modification of functional NPs aided by the means of large scale molecular thermal dynamic computerized dispersing simulations, in the level of Nanoclusters (NC). Carrying out NP functionality characterisation in fluids can be enhanced, and analysed through computational simulation based on their interactions with fluidic media; in terms of thermo-mechanical, dynamic, physical, chemical and rheological properties. From the engineering perspective, effective characterizations of the nanofluids have also been carried out based on the particles sizes and particle-fluids Brownian motion (BM) theory. The study covered firstly, investigation of the pure CuO NP diffusion in water and hydrocarbon fluids, secondly, examination of the modified CuO NP diffusion in water. In both cases the studies were put under experiments and simulations for data collection and comparison. For simulation the COMPASS forcefield, smoothed particle hydrodynamic potential (SPH) and discrete particle dynamics potential (DPD) were implemented through the system. Excellent prediction of BM, Van der Waals interaction, electrostatic interaction and a number of force-fields in the system were exploited. The experimental results trend demonstrated high coherence with the simulation results. At first the diffusion coefficient was found to be 1.7e-8m2/s in the study of CuO NC in water based fluidic system. Secondly highly concurrent simulation results (i.e. data for viscosity and thermal conductivity) have been computed to experimental coherence. The viscosity trend of MD simulation and experimental results show a high level of convergence for temperatures between 303-323K. The simulated thermal conductivity of the water-CuO nanofluid was between 0.6—0.75W•m−1•K−1, showing a slight increase following a rise in temperature from 303 to 323 K. Moreover, the alkane-CuO nanofluid experimental and simulated work was also carried out, for analysing the thermo-physical quantities. The alkane-CuO nanofluid viscosity was found 0.9—2.7mpas and thermal conductivity is between 0.1—0.4W•m−1•K−1. Finally, the successful modification of the NPs on experimental and simulation platform has been analysed using different characterization variables. Experimental modification data has been quantified by using Fourier Transformation Infrared (FTIR) peak response, from particular ranges of interest i.e. 1667-1609cm-1 and 1668-1557cm-1. These FTIR peaks deduced Carboxylate attachment on the surface of NPs. Later, MD simulation was approached to mimic experimental setup of modification chemistry and similar agglomerations were observed as during experimental conditions. However, this approach has not been presented before; therefore this study has a significant impact on describing the agglomeration of modified NPs on simulation and experimental basis. Henceforth, the methodology established for metal oxide nanoparticle dispersion simulation is a novelty of this work

Problems Faced While Simulating Nanofluids

Problems are faced when something is already been adopted for a considerable amount of time–here the problem that is discussed is related with nanofluids. The nanofluids have been considered for different engineering applications since last three decades; however, the work on its simulation has been started since last two decades. With the time, nanofluid simulations are increasing as compared to experimental testing. Researchers conducting nanofluid simulations do find difficulties and problems while trying to simulate this system. In addition to this, most of the time researchers are unaware of some basic problems and they find themselves stuck in relentless difficulties. Most of the time, these problems are very basic and can waste a lot of useful time of a research. Therefore, this chapter introduces some fundamental problems which a researcher can find while simulating nanofluids and with a simple way of dealing with it. Moreover, the chapter withholds lots of information regarding the way to design and to model a nanofluid system. Not only this, it also tends to elaborate the nanofluid simulation methodology in a precise manner. Moreover, the literature shows that nanofluid simulation has gained high consideration since last two decades, as experimental techniques are out of reach for everyone. In addition to experimental techniques, they are expensive, time-consuming and require high skills. However, it seems the simulation is picking pace with the due time and is considerably being adopted by the expertise dealing with nanofluids. This opens a high prospect of simulating nanofluids in future. Nevertheless, it seems there will be user-friendly software to conduct nanofluid simulations. Finally, issues and their resolution have also been conveyed which is the main aspect of this topic

Conference Proceedings: 1st International Conference on Nanofluids (ICNf2019), 2nd European Symposium on Nanofluids (ESNf2019)

Conference proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Nanofluids (ICNf2019) and 2nd European Symposium on Nanofluids (ESNf2019), 26-28 June 2019 in Castelló (Spain), organized by Nanouptake Action (CA15119) and Universitat Jaume

Thermophysical Properties of Metal Oxides Nanofluids

Thermophysical properties of TiO2, Al2O3 and SiO2 nanofluids are experimentally investigated and compared with published data. Density has been measured over a range of 25–40°C for nanoparticle volumetric concentration of 0.05–4%. Viscosity experiments were carried out over a wide temperature range, from 25 to 80°C, to determine their applicability in such ranges. Nanofluids with particle volume fraction ranging from 0.02 to 0.03% and 1–4 kg/min were examined for the convective heat transfer and pumping power. The heat transfer coefficient of the nanofluid rises with rising mass flow rate, as well as rising volume concentration of metal oxide nanofluids; however, increasing the volume fraction results in increasing the density and viscosity of nanofluid, leading to a slight increase in friction factor which can be neglected. Addition of surfactants results in part of the increment in viscosity as well. An empirical formula for density is proposed, which also contributes to the novelty of this paper

A theoretical study of enhanced heat transfer in nanoliquids with volumetric heat source

Rayleigh�Bénard convection in nanoliquids is studied in the presence of volumetric heat source. The present analytical work concerns twenty nanoliquids. Carrier liquids considered are water, ethylene glycol, engine oil and glycerine and with them five different nanoparticles considered are copper, copper oxide, silver, alumina and titania. Expression for the thermophysical properties of the nanoliquids is chosen from phenomenological laws or mixture theory. Heat source is characterized by an internal nanoliquid Rayleigh number (Formula presented.). Heat source adds to the energy of the system and hence an advanced onset is observed in this case compared to the problem with no heat source. In the case of heat sink, however, heat is drawn from the system leading to delay in onset. The individual effect of all the nanoparticles is to advance convection. Enhanced heat transport situation is observed in each of the nanoliquids with engine-oil-silver transporting maximum heat and water-titania the least. Additional Fourier modes are found not to have any profound effect on the results predicted by minimal modes. The connection between the Lorenz model and the Ginzburg�Landau model is clearly shown in the paper. © 2017 Korean Society for Computational and Applied Mathematic

Two Phase Flow, Phase Change and Numerical Modeling

The heat transfer and analysis on laser beam, evaporator coils, shell-and-tube condenser, two phase flow, nanofluids, complex fluids, and on phase change are significant issues in a design of wide range of industrial processes and devices. This book includes 25 advanced and revised contributions, and it covers mainly (1) numerical modeling of heat transfer, (2) two phase flow, (3) nanofluids, and (4) phase change. The first section introduces numerical modeling of heat transfer on particles in binary gas-solid fluidization bed, solidification phenomena, thermal approaches to laser damage, and temperature and velocity distribution. The second section covers density wave instability phenomena, gas and spray-water quenching, spray cooling, wettability effect, liquid film thickness, and thermosyphon loop. The third section includes nanofluids for heat transfer, nanofluids in minichannels, potential and engineering strategies on nanofluids, and heat transfer at nanoscale. The forth section presents time-dependent melting and deformation processes of phase change material (PCM), thermal energy storage tanks using PCM, phase change in deep CO2 injector, and thermal storage device of solar hot water system. The advanced idea and information described here will be fruitful for the readers to find a sustainable solution in an industrialized society