Measurement and Model Validation of Nanofluid Specific Heat Capacity with Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Abstract EN

Nanofluids are being considered for heat transfer applications; therefore it is important to know their thermophysical properties accurately.

In this paper we focused on nanofluid specific heat capacity.

Currently, there exist two models to predict a nanofluid specific heat capacity as a function of nanoparticle concentration and material.

Model I is a straight volume-weighted average; Model II is based on the assumption of thermal equilibrium between the particles and the surrounding fluid.

These two models give significantly different predictions for a given system.

Using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), a robust experimental methodology for measuring the heat capacity of fluids, the specific heat capacities of water-based silica, alumina, and copper oxide nanofluids were measured.

Nanoparticle concentrations were varied between 5 wt% and 50 wt%.

Test results were found to be in excellent agreement with Model II, while the predictions of Model I deviated very significantly from the data.

Therefore, Model II is recommended for nanofluids.