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Experimental investigation of the performance of silver nanofluid as a coolant in a helical shell and tube heat exchanger

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Abstract

Nanofluids, engineered fluids infused with nanoparticles, have emerged as promising coolants in heat exchanger systems, significantly enhancing heat transfer efficiency. This study presents experimental investigations into the heat transfer capabilities of silver nanofluid within a helical shell and tube heat exchanger. The nanofluid was formulated using spherical silver nanoparticles, averaging 143 nm in diameter. The study systematically examined the effects of volumetric concentration and fluid flow rate on heat transfer performance. The results unequivocally demonstrated that introducing silver nanoparticles into the base fluid substantially improved the heat transfer coefficient. The most significant enhancement was observed at a fraction of 2.5% nanoparticle volume, where the heat transfer coefficient surged by an impressive 32% compared to water. Furthermore, there was a direct correlation between the heat transfer coefficient and increasing fluid flow rate. These findings underscore the potential of silver nanofluid as a high-performance coolant for heat exchanger applications. Utilizing such nanofluids promises to advance thermal performance and energy efficiency substantially. Notable highlights from this study include the nanofluid outperforming water-based cooling by 10–15% and a numerical model projecting a remarkable 22% improvement in heat exchanger effectiveness when using the nanofluid coolant. In summary, this research sheds light on the transformative role of silver nanofluids in optimizing heat transfer processes, with tangible benefits for various engineering applications.

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Abbreviations

AgNF:

Silver nanofluid

PVP:

Polyvinylpyrrolidone

TEM:

Transmission electron microscopy

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

FTIR:

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

φ :

Nanoparticle volume fraction

cp:

Specific heat capacity at constant pressure

ρ :

Density

μ :

Dynamic viscosity

k :

Thermal conductivity

Nu:

Nusselt number

Re:

Reynolds number

q̇ :

Heat transfer rate

h :

Heat transfer coefficient

ΔT :

Temperature difference

T :

Temperature

V̇ :

Volumetric flow rate

ṁ :

Mass flow rate

ε :

Effectiveness

U :

Overall heat transfer coefficient

A :

Surface area

d :

Diameter

L :

Length

HE:

Heat exchanger

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Annapoorana Engineering College, Salem, Tamil Nadu, India

    Sivakumar Jaganathan & Silambarasan Rajendran

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Annamacharya Institute of Technology and Sciences (Autonomous), Rajampet, Andhra Pradesh, 516126, India

    B. Devaraj Naik

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sona College of Technology, Salem, Tamil Nadu, 636005, India

    V. Ravikumar

  4. Padmasri Dr. B.V. Raju Institute of Technology, Narsapur, Medak, Telangana, 502313, India

    R. Venkateshkumar

  5. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aksum University, Aksum, Ethiopia

    Ratchagaraja Dhairiyasamy

  6. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Annamalai University, Tamilnadu, India

    Prabhu Alphonse

Authors
  1. Sivakumar Jaganathan
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  2. B. Devaraj Naik
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  3. V. Ravikumar
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  4. R. Venkateshkumar
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  6. Silambarasan Rajendran
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  7. Prabhu Alphonse
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Contributions

SJ was pivotal in conceptualizing, methodology, data curation, and drafting the original manuscript. BDN refined the methodology, conducted formal analysis, developed software, and edited the manuscript. VR contributed significantly to investigation, data analysis, visualization, and manuscript improvement. VR participated in experimental design, data collection, validation, and manuscript editing. RD oversaw project administration, secured funding, provided supervision, and edited the manuscript. SR, the corresponding author, contributed to conceptualization, drafting, editing, project administration, and funding acquisition. With nanofluid expertise, PA aided in experimental design, data analysis, and manuscript refinement, enhancing our research's overall quality.

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Correspondence to Silambarasan Rajendran.

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Jaganathan, S., Devaraj Naik, B., Ravikumar, V. et al. Experimental investigation of the performance of silver nanofluid as a coolant in a helical shell and tube heat exchanger. J Therm Anal Calorim 149, 439–451 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-023-12722-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-023-12722-z

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