Investigations Of Nanofluids Through Microchannel Heat Exchanger In Automotive Radiator

Abstract

Today the demand of efficient and economical automobile vehicles is on peak. So by seeing the increasing demand of vehicle, since last few decades automotive industries continuously taking effort for developing high efficient and economical engines which consumes less fuel to attract the customers. newlineThe efficiency of automotive system depends upon various systems like cooling system, transmission system, lubrication system etc. Cooling system is the most important and focused area of researcher as it is useful to carry huge amount of waste heat energy to surroundings for efficient operation of an engine also increases fuel economy. Use of optimized designed fins and micro size tube is most conventional way to increase the performance of radiator is now reached to its limit. As most Internal combustion engine are air or liquid cooled. The heat transfer performance of automotive radiator can be enhanced by using the efficient coolant in the vehicle radiator. The conventional coolant water, Ethylene glycol are low efficient coolant. Now a days in water and ethylene glycol is added as anti-freeze agent to increase the boiling point and reduce the freezing point of water. By adding the anti- freeze in water make it possible to use water for wide range of temperature but for that we have to compromise the heat transfer performance of the radiator as the heat capacity of mixture is less that of water. newlineDevelopment in Nanotechnology makes it possible to prepare nanometre size solid particles. As the solid particles having size less than 100 nm has different thermal properties than the conventional solid particles. As nanometre size particles has large surface area as compare to micro size powder which enhance heat transfer rate. By adding the nanometre sized solid particles in conventional heat transfer fluid and by preparing stable fluid called Nanofluid can enhance the heat transfer characteristics. newline newlineThis present research focused on the experimental investigation of potential in Al2O3/MEG-water nanofluid as a coolant