On Heat Transfer Performance of Cooling Systems Using Nanofluid for Electric Motor Applications

Abstract

This paper studies the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of nanofluids as advance coolants for the cooling system of electric motors. Investigations are carried out using numerical analysis for a cooling system with spiral channels. To solve the governing equations, computational fluid dynamics and 3D fluid motion analysis are used. The base fluid is water with a laminar flow. The fluid Reynolds number and turn-number of spiral channels are evaluation parameters. The effect of nanoparticles volume fraction in the base fluid on the heat transfer performance of the cooling system is studied. Increasing the volume fraction of nanoparticles leads to improving the heat transfer performance of the cooling system. On the other hand, a high-volume fraction of the nanofluid increases the pressure drop of the coolant fluid and increases the required pumping power. This paper aims at finding a trade-off between effective parameters by studying both fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of the nanofluid.

A Theoretical Comparative Study of Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle using Al2O3 Nanoparticle with Low-GWP Refrigerants

“…The density ( ) of the NR is higher than that of the single refrigerant, while the specific heat capacity ( ) is lower. In addition, effective dynamic ( ) and thermal conductivity ( ) are slightly increased but not constant at different components [ 47 ].…”

Traction Motor Cooling Systems: A Literature Review and Comparative Study

“…1a, b & c). Correlations for calculating the heat transfer in channels in cooling jackets are widely studied and can be found in literature [3,64,71] The pressure drop can be calculated by well-established literature formulas, too [55].The latest motor housing and cooling jacket research focuses on reducing the thermal, contact resistance, new material with improved thermal performance and optimized channel geometries and design for reducing the pressure drop losses, nanofluid-based cooling systems and increasing the heat transfer on the convection surfaces [105][106][107].…”

Review of air-cooling strategies, combinations and thermal analysis (experimental and analytical) of a permanent magnet synchronous motor

“…Spiral cooling channel jacket that carrying the nanofluids was fitted around the stator decreases the heat generated by the electric motor. 65 Figure 4. Cooling methods of the PMSM cross-section.…”