Statistical Analysis of Nanofluid Heat Transfer in a Heat Exchange System

Abstract

A statistical experimental design method (the Taguchi method with orthogonal array robust design) has been implemented to optimize experimental conditions for maximizing the overall heat transfer coefficient of –water nanofluid in an air-cooled heat exchanger. The following controllable factors, each one at three levels, were chosen as operating conditions: nanofluid concentration (0.15, 0.4, and 0.65 vol %), nanofluid temperature (50, 65, and 80°C), nanofluid flow rate (0.3, 0.4, and ), and airflow rate (740, 870, and ). Analysis of the experiments indicated that the airflow rate has the most contribution in the overall heat transfer coefficient of nanofluid with 42.3%. The optimum levels were determined for the four factors as follows: nanofluid concentration 0.65 vol %, nanofluid temperature 50°C, nanofluid flow rate , and airflow rate . The predicted overall heat transfer coefficient of nanofluid at those conditions was . The confirmation experiment has also been carried out at the optimum conditions. There is a good agreement between the predicted and the experimental results.