Russian scientists find an innovative way to use nanofluids in heat exchangers

Power engineers from SUSU suggest improving the operation of heat exchangers by using nanofluids and nano additives correctly. The scientists reviewed two types of nanofluids, represented by hydrofluoroethers, and made recommendations for colleagues. The research results were published in the journal Thermal Science and Engineering Progress.

It is difficult to imagine the technological processes of the oil refining, chemical, nuclear, refrigeration, and gas industries without heat exchangers—technical devices that transfer heat from a carrier to a cold object. To get an idea of the system's thermal characteristics, requires considering a number of parameters, including the heat transfer coefficients. Previously, the problem was solved by analytical methods. With the advent of nanofluids such as hydrofluoroethers, new calculations are needed.

An international team of researchers from Russia, Malaysia, China and Iran numerically evaluated heat transfer characteristics using hydrofluoroethers as heat transfer fluids. The scientists carried out the analysis of the generation of entropy (system uncertainty) by a laminar (moving layers) nanofluid flow was carried out in a horizontal circular tube 3 mm in diameter with a uniform heat flow. The ANSYS software was used for the study.

The idea of studying nanofluids for heat exchangers belongs to scientists of the South Ural State University, Doctor of Science, Professor of the Department of Power Plants, Networks and Power Supply Systems Yevgeny Solomin, and Doctor Muhammad Yazdi. They considered two types of nanofluids, which are obtained by dispersing (grinding) nanoparticles of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) in pure hydrofluoroether HFE7000 (non-flammable, non-corrosive ozone-friendly liquid) with different volumetric concentrations.

- The results showed that the average pressure drop was reduced by about 25% when using the slip boundary condition on the wall. Also, using a sliding wall pipe with a sliding length of 100 μm and a 6% volume concentration of Al2O3 dispersed with alumina, the total entropy generation is reduced by about 20% compared to pure hydrofluoroether flowing in the pipe without sliding. Thus, we have found an innovative way of using nanofluids with certain additives of nano- and microspheres for flow-through nanolubrication of pipelines in solar collector systems with an increase in efficiency by more than 10%, Evgeny Solomin explained.

The scientists made recommendations on the use of types of nanofluids and nano-additives in heat exchangers. They will be useful for solar collector systems that collect thermal energy and are used in solar heating and desalination projects.

Scientists intend to develop the topic: the published work laid the foundation for a whole spectrum of hydro-gas-dynamic research. Besides, similar work is carried out by SUSU scientists in collaboration with their Italian colleagues from the University of Padua. They study the currents in the rotors of the N-Darrieus wind turbines. The scientists collaborate with the Malaysian University in the field of ventilation equipment research.

South Ural State University (SUSU) is a university of digital transformations, where innovative research is conducted in most of the priority fields of science and technology development. In accordance with the strategy of scientific and technological development of the Russian Federation, the university is focused on the development of big scientific interdisciplinary projects in the field of digital industry, materials science, and ecology. In the Year of Science and Technology, it will take part in the competition under the Priority-2030 program. The university acts as a regional project office of the World-class Ural Interregional Research and Education Centre (UIREC).

More information:
S. Mohamadi et al. Heat transfer and entropy generation analysis of internal flow of nanorefrigerant with slip condition at wall, Thermal Science and Engineering Progress (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.tsep.2020.100829

Provided by South Ural State University