Numerical Study of Fluid Dynamic and Heat Transfer in a Compact Heat Exchanger Using Nanofluids

Abstract

Compact heat exchangers (CHEs) are characterized by a high surface area per unit volume, which can result in a higher efficiency than conventional heat exchangers. They are widely used in various applications in thermal fluid systems including automotive thermal fluid systems such as radiators for engine cooling systems. Recent development of nanotechnology brings out a new heat transfer coolant called "nanofluids," which exhibit larger thermal properties than conventional coolants due to the presence of suspended nanosized composite particles in a base fluid. In this study, a numerical investigation using different types of nanoparticles in ethylene glycol-base fluid namely copper (Cu), diamond (DM), and silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) on automobile flat tube plate-fin cross-flow CHE is explored. The nanoparticles volume fraction of 2% is considered for all types of nanofluids examined in this study. The three-dimensional (3D) governing equations for both liquid flow and heat transfer are solved using a standard finite volume method (FVM) for the range of Reynolds number between 4000 and 7000. The standard κ-ε turbulence model with wall function is employed. The computational model is used to study the variations of shear stress, skin friction, and convective heat transfer coefficient. All parameters are found to yield higher magnitudes in the developing and developed regions along the flat tubes with the nanofluid flow than base fluid. The pressure drop is slightly larger for nanofluids but insignificant at outlet region of the tube. Hence, the usage of nanofluids in CHEs transfers more energy in a cost-effective manner than using conventional coolants.

Improved Thermal Management of Lithium‐Ion Battery Module through Microtexturing of Serpentine Cooling Channels

“…where ρ c ,T c , C c , v, and k c represent the mass density, temperature, heat capacity, velocity, and thermal conductivity of the coolant (water), respectively. The continuity equation [29] for the coolant is expressed as below…”

“…Most of the research studies covered the design aspects of cooling systems, focusing toward optimizing the cooling path design and contact area involved in heat transfer. Gunnasegaran et al [ 29 ] showed that a rectangular‐shaped microchannel (MC) with a smaller hydraulic radius is more effective compared to the trapezoidal and triangular channels because of its lower friction factor and pressure loss. It is noteworthy to mention that the coolant pressure drop affects the energy consumption of the coolant pump used in cooling systems.…”

“…[21][22][23][24][25][26] Xu et al [27] and Li et al [28] numerically investigated and compared the cooling performance of serpentine and U-shaped cooling channel designs at 3 C discharge rate. Serpentine cooling channel design [24,29] is widely used by most of the EV manufacturers due to its design simplicity and high thermal efficiency. However, the problem of higher maximum temperature difference (MTD) and temperature heterogeneity inside the battery pack remained intact.…”

Review on Heat Transfer Enhancement by Louvered Fin

“…Thus, engineers come out with one wonderful solution, at which one revolution device has been developed decades ago called compact heat exchanger (CHE). Hence, Compact heat exchangers are capable to transfer further energy in a very limited cost method than other types of heat exchangers with more energy-saving when compared to conventional technology [19,[28][29]. This study enclosed the examination, imitation, and the investigation of modifications in geometrical factors modifications of louvered fin compact heat exchanger, CHE.…”

The Effect of Geometrical Parameters on Heat Transfer Characteristics of Compact Heat Exchanger with Louvered Fins

“…CHEs are characterized by a high surface area per unit volume, which can result in a higher efficiency than conventional heat exchangers. Hence, CHEs are able to transfer more energy in a cost-effective manner than other types of heat exchangers and enable more energy saving when compared to standard technology [1][2][3]. CHEs have been widely used in automotive thermal fluid systems such as radiators or air coolers for engine cooling systems and as intercoolers in turbocharging systems.…”