Experimental investigation of convective heat transfer using ethylene glycol-based nano-fluid

¹ Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Engineering and technology (UET), Taxila 47050, Pakistan
² Mechanical Engineering Department, King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
³ Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Engineering and technology (UET), Taxila 47050, Pakistan

^* Corresponding author: m.shoaibrafiq@students.uettaxila.edu.pk

Abstract

Coolant plays important characteristic in automobile industry to prevent failure and damage by balancing the temperature. Due to this approach, coolants are being used as new thermal fluid to study the heat transfer coefficient performance. This study consists of an experimental investigation of internal convective heat transfer of 50:50 Water-Ethylene Glycol based Nano-fluid through a copper tube of 18mm external diameter and 16.5mm internal diameter and a test section of 1m in a fully turbulent regime. Total convective heat transfer coefficient of Nano fluid at three different volumetric concentrations of nanoparticles is estimated. Local convective heat transfer at eight different points along the tube at varying Reynolds number is also determined. At 0.15% volumetric concentration of SiO2 Nanoparticles (NPS) 29% increment in convective heat transfer coefficient (CHT) is observed. The decrease in the heat transfer rate is observed with changing distance axially. Particles disorganized movement of NPs and undulation in the fluid and increased in thermal conductivity of Nano fluid can be possible reason for extra ordinary change in heat transfer.