Effect of Magnetic Nanofluids on the Performance of a Fin-Tube Heat Exchanger

Abstract

As electrical devices become smaller, it is essential to maintain operating temperature for safety and durability. Therefore, there are efforts to improve heat transfer performance under various conditions, such as using extended surfaces and nanofluids. Among them, cooling methods using ferrofluid are drawing the attention of many researchers. This fluid can control the movement of the fluid in magnetic fields. In this study, the heat transfer performance of a fin-tube heat exchanger, using ferrofluid as a coolant, was analyzed when external magnetic fields were applied. Permanent magnets were placed outside the heat exchanger. When the magnetic fields were applied, a change in the thermal boundary layer was observed. It also formed vortexes, which affected the formation of flow patterns. The vortex causes energy exchanges in the flow field, activating thermal diffusion and improving heat transfer. A numerical analysis was used to observe the cooling performance of heat exchangers, as the strength and number of the external magnetic fields were varying. VGs (vortex generators) were also installed to create vortex fields. A convective heat transfer coefficient was calculated to determine the heat transfer rate. In addition, the comparative analysis was performed with graphical results using contours of temperature and velocity.