Experimental Analysis of Forced Turbulent Convective Heat Transfer in a Circular Cross-Sectional Tube With Al2O3-Water Nanofluid

In a turbulent flow, heat transfer through convection and variation in pressure of a fluid through a circular cross-sectional tube with constant wall temperature using metallic nanopowder (Al2O3-aluminum oxide) in a base fluid (H2O-water) is studied. The results can be utilized to increase heat transfer rates in many heat transfer applications. The heat transfer coefficient, Nusselt number and Reynolds number were obtained for different wall temperatures (45, 50, 55 and 60 °C) at different mass flow rates (60 LPH (Liter Per Hour),75 LPH & 90 LPH) of base and nanofluid (Al2O3/H2O). Earlier researchers used millimeter and micrometer-sized particles to increase the heat transfer rates, but encountered problems of clogging and suspension stability. Nowadays, modern techniques are used to produce nanometer-sized particles as per requirement. In this study, the heat transfer coefficient of the base fluid is increased by dispersing Al2O3 nanoparticle in a particular concentration (φ = 0.05%). Nanoparticles presence in base fluid slightly increases the heat transfer coefficient of the system when compared to the base fluid without nanoparticles. The study also analyzes the performance of heat transfer by varying mass flow rates with different wall temperatures and compares its results to nanofluid with water.