Experimental study on the flow and heat transfer characteristics of nanofluids in double-tube heat exchangers based on thermal efficiency assessment

Qi, Cong; Luo, Tao; Liu, Maoni; Fan, Fan; Yan, Yuying

Abstract

Thermal performance and pressure drop of TiO2-H2O nanofluids in double-tube heat exchangers are investigated. The influence of the thermal fluid (water) volume flow rates (qv = 1–5 L/min), nanoparticle mass frictions (ω = 0.0%, 0.1%, 0.3% and 0.5%), nanofluids locations (shell-side and tube-side), Reynolds numbers of nanofluids (Re = 3000–12000), and the structures of inner tubes (smooth tube and corrugated tube) is analyzed. Results indicate that nanofluids (ω = 0.1%, 0.3% and 0.5%) can improve the heat transfer rate by 10.8%, 13.4% and 14.8% at best compared with deionized water respectively, and the number of transfer units (NTU) and effectiveness are all improved. The pressure drop can be increased by 51.9% (tube-side) and 40.7% (shell-side) at best under the condition of using both nanofluids and corrugated inner tube. When the nanofluids flow in the shell-side of the corrugated double-tube heat exchanger, the comprehensive performance of nanofluids-side is better than that of the smooth double-tube heat exchanger.

Citation

Qi, C., Luo, T., Liu, M., Fan, F., & Yan, Y. (2019). Experimental study on the flow and heat transfer characteristics of nanofluids in double-tube heat exchangers based on thermal efficiency assessment. Energy Conversion and Management, 197, 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2019.111877

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 25, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Aug 1, 2019
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2019
• Deposit Date: Nov 26, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 2, 2020
• Journal: Energy Conversion and Management
• Print ISSN: 0196-8904
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 197
• Article Number: 111877
• Pages: 1-27
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2019.111877
• Keywords: Fuel Technology; Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment; Energy Engineering and Power Technology; Nuclear Energy and Engineering
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2468178
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196890419308593