Comparison of heat transfer performance of ZnO-PG, α-Al2O3-PG, and γ-Al2O3-PG nanofluids in car radiator

Abstract

In this study, the cooling performance of nanofluids in car radiators was investigated. A car radiator, temperature measuring instrument, and other components were used to set up the experimental device, and the temperature of nanofluids passing through the radiator was measured by this device. Three kinds of nanoparticles, γ-Al2O3, α-Al2O3, and ZnO, were added to propylene glycol to prepared nanofluids, and the effects of nanoparticle size and type, volume concentration, initial temperature, and flow rate were tested. The results indicated that the heat transfer coefficients of all nanofluids first increased and then decreased with an increase in volume concentration. The ZnO-propylene glycol nanofluid reached a maximum heat transfer coefficient at 0.3 vol%, and the coefficient decreased by 25.6% with an increase in volume concentration from 0.3 vol% to 0.5 vol%. Smaller particles provided a better cooling performance, and the 0.1 vol% γ-Al2O3-propylene glycol nanofluid had a 19.9% increase in heat transfer coefficient compared with that of α-Al2O3-propylene glycol. An increase in flow rate resulted in a 10.5% increase in the heat transfer coefficient of the 0.5 vol% α-Al2O3-propylene glycol nanofluid. In addition, the experimental temperature range of 40–60°C improved the heat transfer coefficient of the 0.2 vol% ZnO-propylene glycol nanofluid by 46.4%.