Nanofluids effect on the overall transfer coefficients change mechanism analysis

• Published in: Energy science & engineering Vol. 11; no. 12; pp. 4481 - 4492
• Main Authors: Zhu, Hao, Fan, Liwen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.12.2023; Wiley
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Cerium oxides; Conduction heating; Conductive heat transfer; Conductivity; Enhanced oil recovery; EOR; Experiments; Graphene; Heat conductivity; Heat exchangers; Heat transfer; Heat transfer coefficients; Iron oxides; Nanofluids; Nanoparticles; Oil recovery; Silicon dioxide; Simulation; Surfactants; Temperature; Thermal conductivity; Titanium dioxide; Viscosity; Zeta potential; Zinc oxides; Zirconium dioxide
• ISSN: 2050-0505; 2050-0505
• DOI: 10.1002/ese3.1592

The understanding of the enhanced thermal conductivity mechanism in nanofluids remains elusive, underscoring the necessity for investigating their influence on heat conduction. A comparative analysis was carried out on the overall heat transfer coefficients of SiO2, TiO2, MgO, ZrO2, CeO2, Al2O3, and Fe3O4, yielding 346.5, 442.9, 569.2, 465.6, 663.2, 562.4, and 706.2 W/m2 K, respectively. Our investigation further extended to the differential impacts of various nanofluids on heat transfer conduction coefficients, with Fe3O4 nanofluids demonstrating the greatest, and SiO2 the least, heat transfer coefficients. Importantly, these nanofluids play a cooperative role in enhancing heat transfer coefficients. Previous studies have largely concentrated on the effects of individual and mixed nanofluids on overall heat transfer coefficients, neglecting the combined effects of different nanofluids. Moreover, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain vague, with insufficient corresponding characterizations. Our study seeks to address these limitations. We also studied the impact of nanofluid concentration, pH, and temperature on heat conduction. Our results suggest that the overall heat transfer coefficient escalates with increasing nanofluid concentration and temperature. For example, the overall heat transfer coefficients for SiO2 nanofluids surged from 346.5 W/m2 K at 25°C to 369.4 W/m2 K at 35°C, 411.4 W/m2 K at 45°C, and 427.6 W/m2 K at 55°C. A rise in pH also led to an increase in overall heat transfer coefficients up to a certain point, after which they started decreasing. The zeta potentials of the aforementioned nanofluids were −12.1, −24.8, −28.6, −23.2, −35.9, −31.3, and −40.4 mV, respectively, and these potentials dwindled with an increase in pH. The influence of nanofluids on overall heat transfer may have implications for the enhanced oil recovery effect. Nanofluids could enhance the heat transfer. Fe3O4 showed the optimal effect, and the SiO2 showed the lowest effect. The heat transfer coefficients would be changed when the pH changed. Other factors would also affect the heat transfer coefficients, and the corresponding mechanism was explored. The corresponding nanofluids application was studied.