Study on the flow and heat dissipation of water-based alumina nanofluids in microchannels

Abstract

In this paper, the flow and heat dissipation performance of 0.1–0.5 vol per cent of Al2O3 -water nanofluid through serpentine micro-channel was experimentally studied in the Reynolds range 124–1000. By analyzing the experimental results of nanofluid flow and heat dissipation: In the experiment, the Nusselt number of nanofluids is 1.12–1.66 times that of deionized water, which indicates that Al2O3 -water nanofluids have significant heat transfer enhancement effect. Nanofluid flow resistance is 1.02–1.80 times that of deionized water, this indicates that Al2O3 -water nanofluid has the disadvantage of increasing energy consumption. From a comprehensive performance point of view: all the nanofluids used in the experiment have enhanced heat transfer factors more significant than one, and the enhanced heat transfer effect is better than that of deionized water, this suggests that Al2O3 -water nanofluid has the drawback of rising energy consumption. All the nanofluids used in the experiment have enhanced heat transfer factors more significant than one, and the enhanced heat transfer effect is better than that of deionized water. Nano-fluids, with a volume fraction of 0.4%, have an average increased heat transfer factor of 1.4, which is the best overall performance.

Keywords

• Serpentine microchannel
• Water-based alumina nanofluids
• Liquidity analysis
• Heat dissipation analysis