Intensified Thermal Conductivity and Convective Heat Transfer of Ultrasonically Prepared CuO–Polyaniline Nanocomposite Based Nanofluids in Helical Coil Heat Exchanger

Abstract

In this study, investigation of convective heat transfer enhancement with the use of CuO–Polyaniline (CuO–PANI) nanocomposite based
nanofluid inside vertical helically coiled tube heat exchanger was carried out experimentally. In these experiments, the effects of different parameters such as Reynolds number and volume % of CuO–PANI nanocomposite in nanofluid on the heat transfer coefficient of base fluid have been studied. In order to study the effect of CuO–PANI nanocomposite based nanofluid on heat transfer, CuO nanoparticles loaded in PANI were synthesized in the presence of ultrasound assisted environment at different loading concentration of CuO nanoparticles (1, 3 and 5 wt.%). Then the nanofluids were prepared at different concentrations of CuO–PANI nanocomposite using water as a base fluid. The 1 wt.% CuO–PANI nanocomposite was selected for the heat transfer study for nanofluid concentration in the range of 0.05 to 0.3 volume % and Reynolds number range of was 1080 to 2160 (±5). Around 37 % enhancement in the heat transfer coefficient was observed for 0.2 volume % of 1 wt.% CuO–PANI nanocomposite in the base fluid. In addition, significant enhancement in the heat transfer coefficient was observed with an increase in the Reynolds number and percentage loading of CuO nanoparticle in Polyaniline (PANI).