Investigation of thermal conductivity and viscosity of Fe3O4 nanofluid for heat transfer applications

• Published in: International communications in heat and mass transfer Vol. 44; pp. 7 - 14
• Main Authors: Syam Sundar, L., Singh, Manoj K., Sousa, Antonio C.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Absolute viscosity; Applied sciences; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Heat transfer; Magnetic nanoparticles; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Nanocomposites; Nanofluid; Nanofluids; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena; Physics; Theoretical studies. Data and constants. Metering; Thermal conductivity; Thermal properties of condensed matter; Thermal properties of small particles, nanocrystals, nanotubes; Viscosity; Thermal conductivity; Absolute viscosity; Nanofluid; Magnetic nanoparticles; Water; Viscosity; Effective thermal conductivity; Magnetic particles; Magnetite; Iron oxide; Nanoparticle; Experimental study; Heat transfer
• ISSN: 0735-1933; 1879-0178
• DOI: 10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2013.02.014

Experimental investigations and theoretical determination of effective thermal conductivity and viscosity of magnetic Fe3O4/water nanofluid are reported in this paper. The nanofluid was prepared by synthesizing Fe3O4 nanoparticles using the chemical precipitation method, and then dispersed in distilled water using a sonicator. Both experiments were conducted in the volume concentration range 0.0% to 2.0% and the temperature range 20°C to 60°C. The thermal conductivity and viscosity of the nanofluid were increased with an increase in the particle volume concentration. Viscosity enhancement was greater compared to thermal conductivity enhancement under at same volume concentration and temperature. Theoretical equations were developed to predict thermal conductivity and viscosity of nanofluids without resorting to the well established Maxwell and Einstein models, respectively. The proposed equations show reasonably good agreement with the experimental results.