Abstract
Recent studies of nanofluids have shown that the nanoparticles when mixed in fluid medium such as water and ethylene glycol enhance the thermal conductivity of the colloids when compared to the fluid medium. However, numerous experimental studies conducted on the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids, while using initial particle distribution consisting of range of diameters, have reported their results at volume-weighted average diameters. Here, we use computer simulations to investigate the effect of initial particle distribution or the effect of polydispersivity on the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids. The study reveals that the simulations performed with multi-sized nanoparticles predict the effective thermal conductivity values of nanofluids closer to the experimental values than the corresponding volume weighted average diameters. Inhomogeneous coagulations in the multi-sized nanofluids were found to be a major factor for the deviation of effective thermal conductivity of the nanofluids in single- and multi-sized nanofluids. Our results suggest that initial distribution of particles has a significant role in predicting the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 133-144 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Microfluidics and Nanofluidics |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 Jan 1 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Chemistry
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Effect of the multi-sized nanoparticle distribution on the thermal conductivity of nanofluids. / Kondaraju, Sasidhar; Jin, E. K.; Lee, Joon Sang.
In: Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, Vol. 10, No. 1, 01.01.2011, p. 133-144.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of the multi-sized nanoparticle distribution on the thermal conductivity of nanofluids
AU - Kondaraju, Sasidhar
AU - Jin, E. K.
AU - Lee, Joon Sang
PY - 2011/1/1
Y1 - 2011/1/1
N2 - Recent studies of nanofluids have shown that the nanoparticles when mixed in fluid medium such as water and ethylene glycol enhance the thermal conductivity of the colloids when compared to the fluid medium. However, numerous experimental studies conducted on the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids, while using initial particle distribution consisting of range of diameters, have reported their results at volume-weighted average diameters. Here, we use computer simulations to investigate the effect of initial particle distribution or the effect of polydispersivity on the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids. The study reveals that the simulations performed with multi-sized nanoparticles predict the effective thermal conductivity values of nanofluids closer to the experimental values than the corresponding volume weighted average diameters. Inhomogeneous coagulations in the multi-sized nanofluids were found to be a major factor for the deviation of effective thermal conductivity of the nanofluids in single- and multi-sized nanofluids. Our results suggest that initial distribution of particles has a significant role in predicting the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids.
AB - Recent studies of nanofluids have shown that the nanoparticles when mixed in fluid medium such as water and ethylene glycol enhance the thermal conductivity of the colloids when compared to the fluid medium. However, numerous experimental studies conducted on the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids, while using initial particle distribution consisting of range of diameters, have reported their results at volume-weighted average diameters. Here, we use computer simulations to investigate the effect of initial particle distribution or the effect of polydispersivity on the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids. The study reveals that the simulations performed with multi-sized nanoparticles predict the effective thermal conductivity values of nanofluids closer to the experimental values than the corresponding volume weighted average diameters. Inhomogeneous coagulations in the multi-sized nanofluids were found to be a major factor for the deviation of effective thermal conductivity of the nanofluids in single- and multi-sized nanofluids. Our results suggest that initial distribution of particles has a significant role in predicting the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79551471297&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79551471297&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10404-010-0653-9
DO - 10.1007/s10404-010-0653-9
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79551471297
VL - 10
SP - 133
EP - 144
JO - Microfluidics and Nanofluidics
JF - Microfluidics and Nanofluidics
SN - 1613-4982
IS - 1
ER -