Overall heat transfer coefficient improvement of an automobile radiator with graphene based suspensions. (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Selvam, C.; Solaimalai Raja, R.; Mohan Lal, D.; Harish, Sivasankaran
• Is Part Of: International journal of heat and mass transfer. Volume 115(2017)Part B
• Page Start: 580
• Page End: 588
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Nanofluid -- Graphene -- Convection -- Overall heat transfer coefficient -- Radiator -- Pressure drop; Heat -- Transmission -- Periodicals; Mass transfer -- Periodicals; Chaleur -- Transmission -- Périodiques; Transfert de masse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 621.4022
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2017.08.071
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-9310

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: GnP nanofluid was prepared by non-covalent functionalization method. Overall heat transfer coefficient of an automobile radiator is reported. Overall heat transfer coefficient increases by 104% with 0.5 vol% of GnP. Pressure drop increases with respect to GnP loading and Reynolds number. GnP/H2 O-EG nanofluid could be better heat transfer fluid for radiator cooling. Abstract: In the present work, we report the enhancement in overall heat transfer coefficient of an automobile radiator using graphene nanoplatelets based nanofluid as the coolant. Water-ethylene glycol mixture (70:30 by volume) was used as the base fluid and stable nanofluids were synthesized by non-covalent functionalization method with volume concentrations of graphene nanoplatelets varying from 0.1% to 0.5%. Experiments were performed in an automobile radiator for varying nanofluid mass flow rates viz. 12.5 g/s, 25 g/s, 37.5 g/s, 50 g/s, 62.5 g/s and two nanofluid inlet temperatures viz. 35 °C, 45 °C and air velocity. For each condition the ambient air velocity was varied from 1 m/s to 5 m/s in steps of 1 m/s. The convective heat transfer coefficient of nanofluid and overall heat transfer coefficient are found to increase with respect to mass flow rate, inlet temperature of nanofluid and graphene nanoplatelets loading. The improvement in convective heat transfer coefficient of nanofluid play a significant role in the enhancement of overall heat transfer coefficient. The maximum enhancement in OHTC with respect to concentration is found to be ∼104% at 35 °C while it is found to be ∼81% at 45 °C for 0.5 vol%, 62.5 g/s flow rate and 5 m/s air velocity. Further, the pressure drop of nanofluids increases with increase in mass flow rate and graphene loading. The increase in pressure drop is significantly influenced by the mass flow rate than by graphene nanoplatelets loading.