Heat Transfer Enhancement Using Al2O3-MWCNT Hybrid-Nanofluid inside a Tube/Shell Heat Exchanger with Different Tube Shapes

Numerical investigation on the impact of different design arrangements of helical heat exchangers with varying cross-sections utilizing ternary hybrid nanofluids

Helical tube heat exchangers (HTHE) are commonly used as thermal devices in various thermal engineering applications. A comparative investigation was undertaken to examine several helical tube designs in relation to their potential uses with water and nanofluids. Additionally, employing the ternary hybrid nanofluid (THNF) flow in helical-type heat exchangers to assess the heat transfer and frictional loss is a unique concept, as there is currently no research on this specific application. This study involves analyzing three different design configurations, each of which has three different inlet profiles: round, square, and oval shapes. Hence, a numerical analysis has been conducted on nine cases, each including the same pipe length, helix diameter, and pitch distance. The specified range for the Reynolds number under the water and THNF flow condition is 5000-25000. The results are acquired for both fluids, considering the Nusselt number (Nu), friction factor (f), outlet temperature (T out ), and entropy production (S g ). Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) is employed to provide a thorough assessment of the overall performance of the proposed designs. The results have been shown as graphical representations, streamlines and contours where Nusselt number, friction factor and entropy generation have been evaluated. The Nusselt number has a higher value for the oval cross-section, while it reaches its lowest value for the square cross-section. The highest heat transfer rate is got for Design 1 with the oval-shaped case. The friction factor for a circular cross-section HHTE is 48 % higher than the friction factor for a square cross-section profile. In addition, the square shape at a Reynolds number (Re) of 25000 exhibits 5 % less entropy formation compared to the oval shape geometry at a Reynolds number of 5000. The results of MCDM analysis indicate that Design 1, which features a square section, exhibits superior performance. Conversely, Design 2, which incorporates a circular cross-section, demonstrates poor performance. Among the six ternary hybrid nanofluids, the Al2O3+CNT+Graphene nanofluid with a water basis exhibits the greatest Nusselt number.

Numerical Study of Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics for Al2O3 Nanofluid in a Double-Pipe Helical Coil Heat Exchanger

To numerically investigate the flow and heat transfer characteristics of a water/Al2O3 nanofluid in a double-pipe helical coil heat exchanger, we simulated a two-phase Eulerian model to predict the heat transfer coefficient, Nusselt number, and pressure drop at various concentrations (i.e., volume fraction) and under diverse flow rates at the steady state. In this simulation, we used the k-epsilon turbulence model with an enhanced wall treatment method. The performance factor of the nanofluid was evaluated by accounting for the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics. As a result, the heat transfer was enhanced by increasing the nanofluid concentration. The 1.0 vol.% nanofluid (i.e., the highest concentration) showed a heat transfer coefficient 1.43 times greater than water and a Nusselt number of 1.38 times greater than water. The pressure drop of nanofluids was greater than that of water due to the increased density and viscosity induced using nanoparticles. Based on the relationship between the Nusselt number and pressure drop, the 1.0 vol.% nanofluid was calculated to have a performance factor of 1.4 relative to water, indicating that the enhancement rate in heat transfer performance was greater than that in the pressure drop. In conclusion, the Al2O3 nanofluid shows potential as an enhanced working fluid in diverse heat transfer applications.

Vortex generation due to multiple localized magnetic fields in the hybrid nanofluid flow - A numerical investigation

Vortices capture the attention of every scientist (as soon as they come into existence) while studying any flow problem because of their significance in comprehending fluid mixing and mass transport processes. A vortex is indeed a physical phenomenon that happens when a liquid or a gas flow in a circular motion. They are generated due to the velocity difference and may be seen in hurricanes, air moving across the plane wing, tornadoes, etc. The study of vortices is important for understanding various natural phenomena in different settings. This work explores the complex dynamics of the Lorentz force that drives the rotation of nanostructures and the emergence of intricate vortex patterns in a hybrid fluid with Fe₃O₄-Cu nanoparticles. The hybrid nanofluid is modeled as a single-phase fluid, and the partial differential equations (PDEs) that govern its behavior are solved numerically. This work also introduces a novel analysis that enables us to visualize the flow lines and isotherms around the magnetic strips in the flow domain. The Lorentz force confined to the strips causes the spinning of hybrid nanoparticles, resulting in complex vortex structures in the flow domain. The results indicate that the magnetic field lowers the Nusselt number by 34% while raising the skin friction by 9%. The Reynolds number amplifies the influence of the localized magnetic field on the flow dynamics. Lastly, the nano-scaled structures in the flow enhance the Nusselt number significantly while having a minor effect on the skin friction factor.