Advantages And Disadvantages Of Nanofluids

Nanofluids are a fluids which consist of a base fluid with nano-sized particles (1–100 nm) suspended within them. These particles, generally a metal or metal oxide, increase conduction and convection coefficients, allowing for more heat transfer. In the past few decades, rapid advances in nanotechnology have lead to emerging of new generation of coolants called nanofluids [12].

Compared to regular solid–liquid suspension, nanofluids possess the following advantages [1]:

• Higher specific surface area and therefore more heat transfer surface between particles and fluids.

• Higher dispersion stability with predominant Brownian motion of particles.

• Reduced pumping power as compared to pure liquid to gain equivalent heat transfer intensification.

• Reduced particle clogging as compared to regular slurries, thus promoting system miniaturization.

• Adjustable properties, including thermal conductivity and surface wettability, by varying particle concentrations to suit different applications.

Nanotechnology is being used or considered for use in many applications targeted to provide more efficient energy supplies and uses. While many of

For example heat transfer systems, which employ forced convection of a gas, exhibit a greater heat transfer coefficient than systems, which employ free convection of a gas. Alternatively, the heat transfer coefficient can be increased by enhancing the properties of the coolant for a given method of heat transfer. Additives are often added to liquid coolants to improve specific properties. For example, glycols are added to water to depress its freezing point and to increase its boiling point. The heat transfer coefficient can be improved by the addition of solid particles to the liquid coolant (i.e.