An experimental investigation to study the performance characteristics of heat pipe using aqueous hybrid nanofluids

Abstract

The steady-state performance characteristics of a mesh-wick heat pipe were investigated ex- perimentally across a heat load range of 25W-100W incorporating DI water, Al2O3 nanofluids, and Al2O3+GO hybrid nanofluids respectively. All the nano-suspensions were prepared fol-lowing the two-step preparation method. Out of all the prepared Al2O3 nanofluids, 1.0 vol.% Al2O3 nanofluid exhibited the highest reduction in adiabatic vapor temperature. The hybrid combination of 75% Al2O3 +25% GO nanofluid in the heat pipe resulted in a maximum dec-rement of about 21.4%, and 59.5% in the average evaporator temperature, and thermal resis-tance respectively while offering maximum thermal efficiency enhancement of about 31.4% relative to the base fluid. The 75% Al2O3+25% GO hybrid nanofluid in the heat pipe offered the least thermal resistance at a gravity-assisted inclination of 60º. The current study contem- plates the most favourable hybrid combination of Al2O3 and GO nanoparticles for its incor-poration in the heat pipe and tries to identify the underlying reasons behind the performance characteristics achieved using hybrid nanofluids and finally projects the future research scope.