Title: Experimental investigations on thermal conductivity of water and Al2O3 nanofluids at low concentrations

Authors: Y. Raja Sekhar; K.V. Sharma; M.T. Naik; L. Syam Sundar

Addresses: Centre for Energy Studies, Department of Mechanical Engineering, JNTUH College of Engineering, Kukatpally, Hyderabad-500085, Andhra Pradesh State, India. ' Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26600 Pekan, Kuantan, Pahang State, Malaysia. ' Centre for Energy Studies, Department of Mechanical Engineering, JNTUH College of Engineering, Kukatpally, Hyderabad-500085, Andhra Pradesh State, India. ' Centre for Energy Studies, Department of Mechanical Engineering, JNTUH College of Engineering, Kukatpally, Hyderabad-500085, Andhra Pradesh State, India

Abstract: Thermal conductivity properties of water-based nanofluids at low concentrations are being presented in this paper. Nanoparticles at low volume concentration in the range of 0.01 to 1% is added to water improve the properties of the base fluid. The properties are estimated at temperatures between 21°C and 45°C. The results indicate an increase of enhancement of thermal conductivity with temperature and are found to be in agreement with different models as well as the data published in the literature. Empirical equations to calculate thermal conductivity and density for varied particle concentration and temperature are established. The measured and predicted values of thermal conductivity and density have a maximum deviation of 8% and 6% in the working range, respectively.

Keywords: Al2O3 nanoparticles; low volume concentration; density; thermal conductivity; water-based nanofluids; temperature dependent; nanotechnology; aluminium oxide; alumina; nanoparticles.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2012.049908

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2012 Vol.5 No.4, pp.300 - 315

Received: 21 Sep 2011
Accepted: 02 Dec 2011

Published online: 20 Aug 2014 *

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