Comparison of the thermal performances of two nanofluids at low temperature in a plate heat exchanger

The objective of this study is to compare experimentally the thermal performances of two types of commercial nanofluids. The first is composed of oxides of alumina (γAl2O3) dispersed in water and the second one is aqueous suspensions of nanotubes of carbons (CNTs). The viscosity of the nanofluids is measured as a function of the temperature between 2 and 10 °C. An experimental device, containing three thermal buckles controlled in temperature and greatly instrumented permits to study the thermal convective transfers. The evolution of the convective coefficient permits to study the convective thermal transfers. The evolution of the convective coefficient is presented according to the Reynolds number, at low temperature from 0 to 10 °C and for the two aforementioned nanofluids. An assessment of the pressure drops in the circuit as well as of the powers of the circulator and outputs is dealt with.

► Experimentally thermal performances of two nanofluids (γAl2O3, CNTs).
► Evolution of the convective coefficient at low temperature from 0 to 10 °C.
► Pressure drops investigation.
► Competition between heat transfer enhancement and pumping power loss.
► Better thermal–hydraulic performance for alumina and carbon nanotubes nanofluids.