Numerical Simulation of Nucleate Boiling Heat Transfer Performance using SiO2/Water Nanofluid

Abstract

Abstract Nucleate boiling regime is the most efficient regime that gives the maximum heat flux at the wall superheat range of 5 °C to 30 °C. In this current study, the nucleate pool boiling heat transfer performance of SiO2/water nanofluid are studied numerically. The effect of volume fraction (0.01 – 0.06 vol. %) of nanofluid on heat transfer coefficient and wall superheat are investigated. The variation in heat transfer coefficient (HTC) & wall superheat with different heat flux are investigated. Eulerian multiphase approach with RPI boiling model is used to carry out the simulation. The pool boiling heat transfer performance increased with rise in volume concentration of nanofluid up to an optimum concentration of 0.05 % and then it starts to decrease. A reduction in wall superheat of 6.7 %, 8.43 %, 11.27 % and 9.3 % are obtained for SiO2/water nanofluid with volumetric concentration of 0.01, 0.02, 0.05 and 0.06 vol. % respectively as compared to base fluid. Heat transfer coefficient enhanced by 3.55 %, 7.2 %, 23.87 % and 19.67 % for SiO2/water nanofluid with volumetric concentration of 0.01, 0.02, 0.05 and 0.06 vol. % respectively as compared to base fluid.