Heat Transfer Enhancement by Hybrid Nano Additives—Graphene Nanoplatelets/Cellulose Nanocrystal for the Automobile Cooling System (Radiator)

Abstract

A radiator is used to remove a portion of the heat generated by a vehicle engine. It is challenging to efficiently maintain the heat transfer in an automotive cooling system even though both internal and external systems need enough time to keep pace with catching up with evolving engine technology advancements. The effectiveness of a unique hybrid’s heat transfer nanofluid was investigated in this study. The hybrid nanofluid was mainly composed of graphene nanoplatelets (GnP), and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) nanoparticles suspended in a 40:60 ratio of distilled water and ethylene glycol. A counterflow radiator equipped with a test rig setup was used to evaluate the hybrid nano fluid’s thermal performance. According to the findings, the proposed GNP/CNC hybrid nanofluid performs better in relation to improving the efficiency of heat transfer of a vehicle radiator. The suggested hybrid nanofluid enhanced convective heat transfer coefficient by 51.91%, overall heat transfer coefficient by 46.72%, and pressure drop by 34.06% with respect to distilled water base fluid. Additionally, the radiator could reach a better CHTC with 0.01% hybrid nanofluid in the optimized radiator tube by the size reduction assessment using computational fluid analysis. In addition to downsizing the radiator tube and increasing cooling capacity over typical coolants, the radiator takes up less space and helps to lower the weight of a vehicle engine. As a result, the suggested unique hybrid graphene nanoplatelets/cellulose nanocrystal-based nanofluids perform better in heat transfer enhancement in automobiles.

Numerical Simulation of Graphene-Nanoplatelet Nanofluid Convection in Millimeter-Sized Automotive Radiator

“…The study shows that graphene nanocoolant enhances the heat transfer rate of radiator by 68% [22]. In another experimental study which investigated the automobile cooling system suspended with GnP and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) nanoparticles, Yaw et al, [23] reported that the presence of GnP and CNC nanoparticles intensifies the convective heat transfer coefficient of radiator by 51.9%. Similar enhancement rate is also reported by Selvam et al, [24] which showed that GnP-EG/water nanofluid increases the convection heat transfer coefficient of automotive radiator by 51% [24].…”

“…In the up-to-date literature, most of the studies on graphene-based nanofluid flow in automotive radiator employ the mixture of water and EG as the basefluids [22][23][24][25]. Numerical investigations on the convective performance of water-based GnP nanofluids in radiator for improving the cooling of automotive engine is relatively scarce.…”

Improving the efficiency of the automobile engine cooling system using hybrid MWCNT/Al2O3 as nanofluids

“…Many cooling systems used in industries and automobiles are currently struggling with this problem. Utilizing traditional cooling agents like water, motor oils, and optoelectronic systems, various industries including air-conditioning, power generation, and chemical processes employ ethylene glycolprocessing instruments, mineral oil, and other sectors [3]. Unfortunately, it has been discovered that conventional coolants like engine oil and ethylene glycol are not as efficient as desired.…”

Empirical Study of the Effect of Nanocoolant Particles on Corrosion Rate of 316 Stainless Steel

“…However, nanofluids, composed of nanoparticles dispersed in base fluids like ethylene glycol and water, offer improved thermal conductivity and stability compared to traditional cooling agents [4,19,20]. Research shows that nanofluids provide heightened conductivity and enhanced thermal stability, making them a promising alternative for various heat transfer applications [21][22][23]. Nonetheless, utilizing nanofluids in cooling systems presents challenges, as solid particles within the fluid can lead to corrosion and erosion of pipe surfaces, raising concerns about the impact of nanocoolants on metal degradation rates [24][25][26][27][28][29].…”