Heat transfer through heat exchanger using Al2O3 nanofluid at different concentrations

Abstract

This article reports an experimental study on the forced convective heat transfer and flow characteristics of a nanofluid consisting of water and different volume concentrations of Al2O3 nanofluid (0.3–2)% flowing in a horizontal shell and tube heat exchanger counter flow under turbulent flow conditions are investigated. The Al2O3 nanoparticles of about 30 nm diameter are used in the present study. The results show that the convective heat transfer coefficient of nanofluid is slightly higher than that of the base liquid at same mass flow rate and at same inlet temperature. The heat transfer coefficient of the nanofluid increases with an increase in the mass flow rate, also the heat transfer coefficient increases with the increase of the volume concentration of the Al2O3 nanofluid, however increasing the volume concentration cause increase in the viscosity of the nanofluid leading to increase in friction factor.