Experimental investigation of heat transfer in automobile radiator by using alternative working fluids and nanoparticles

Abstract EN

This article presents an experimental study on improvement of heat transfer in car radiator by using copper oxide, titanium oxide, Ethylene glycol and distilled water nanofluids.

The concentrations of nanofluid used are ranging from (0.5 –5 vol %).

Two types of nanoparticles used in this paper copper oxide (CuO (30nm)) and titanium oxide (TiO2 (50nm)) as well as the base fluid (Ethylene glycol and distilled water).

The effects of different parameters such as Reynolds number, nanofluid inlet temperature, concentration and type of nanoparticle on heat transfer coefficient of the flow are studied.

The obtained results indicated that the improvement in heat transfer for the nanofluid (CuO(30nm) + EG + Dw) was greater than nanofluid (TiO2 (50nm) + EG + Dw) due to nanoparticles size and thermal conductivity of the copper oxide.

The results indicated that there is an increase in heat transfer when the volume concentration of nanoparticles are increased with range (0.5 vol % to 5 vol %).

About 55% heat transfer improvement was achieved with addition of 5 vol % nanoparticles.

Moreover overall heat transfer based on air side increased up 45 % with addition of 5vol % volume fraction nano particles of copper oxide and titanium oxide than the base fluid (EG +Dw).

In addition the results indicated that using nanofluid as working fluid leads to higher heat transfer performance which is promoted the car engine performance and would reduce fuel consumption.

Moreover, thermal conductivity for the nanofluids (CuO + EG +Dw) was greater than nanofluids (TiO2+ EG + Dw) due to nanoparticles size and thermal conductivity for the copper oxide.

The type and size nanoparticles play an important role in improvement of heat transfer rate.

Results show that heat transfer coefficient increased with increasing of nanofluid inlet temperature, concentration of nanoparticles and Reynolds number.

The results indicated that the improvement in heat transfer for the nanofluid (CuO (30nm) + Dw+EG) and (TiO2 (50nm) + Dw+EG) of 12.4%, 9.52% at Ф = 5vol% and T=70 oC respectively compared with base fluid..