O presente trabalho envolve a análise experimental do efeito da deposição de nanopartículas por meio da ebulição em piscina na molhabilidade e na textura da superfície. Inicialmente, este estudo apresenta uma análise da literatura sobre métodos de avaliação do ângulo de contato, preparo de nanofluidos, procedimentos de avaliação da rugosidade e possíveis efeitos que a deposição de nanopartículas tem sobre a textura da superfície. Verificou-se para as superfícies recobertas com nanopartículas ângulos de contato próximos a zero e comportamento dinâmico para gotas de água depositadas sobre elas. Desta forma, optou-se por avaliar a molhabilidade qualitativamente através da análise da velocidade de espalhamento de uma gota depositada sobre a superfície recoberta. Caracterizou-se também a massa de nanopartículas depositadas, a morfologia e a rugosidade das superfícies. Efetuou-se o recobrimento das superfícies por meio da ebulição em piscina de nanofluidos a base de água deionizada contendo nanopartículas de Al2O3 (10, 20-30 e 40-80 nm), Cu (25 nm) e SiO2 (15 e 80 nm) para concentrações volumétricas de 0,001, 0,01, 0,1 e 0,5%, submetidos a tempos de ebulição de 15, 30, 45 e 180 minutos em superfícies de alumínio e aço inoxidável. Como resultado final deste estudo concluiu-se que a rugosidade superficial e a molhabilidade se elevam com a deposição das nanopartículas. Além disso, a molhabilidade aumenta com o incremento da área da superfície recoberta com aglomerados. / The present study concerns an investigation on the wettability and the surface texture behavior of flat aluminum and stainless steel plates covered with porous thin-films of nanoparticles obtained through pool boiling of nanofluids. Since the contact angle of the obtained surfaces is small and in many cases the deposited droplet exhibits a dynamic behavior, dynamic top-down analyses of spreading droplets were performed. Evaluations were performed of nanoparticles mass deposition on the sample, surface roughness and micro-structural with an SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy). Experiments were performed for nanofluids containing nanoparticles of Al2O3 (10, 20-30 and 40-80 nm), Cu (25nm) and SiO2 (15 and 80 nm) for volumetric concentrations of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5% for pool boiling time set to 15, 30, 45 and 180 minutes over aluminum and stainless steel plates. As a final result of this study it was found that surface roughness and wettability increase with the deposition of the nanoparticles. In addition, the wettability increases with increasing of the surface area covered with clusters.

Windows reduce heat loss and heat gain by resisting conduction, convection, and radiation using thermal breaks, low-emissivity films, and window gaps. Contrary to advancing these resistive qualities, this research introduced a highly conductive gap medium using Al2O3 nanoparticles dispersed in deionized water to enhance thermal conductivity. The solution harnessed the photothermal properties of Al2O3 nanofluids to trap, store, and transport thermally charged fluids to heat exchangers to preheat air and water, and to generate electricity forming a transparent generator—the Nanowindow. Seven Nanowindow prototypes with varying orders of air and fluid columns were fabricated and tested using distilled water (H2Owindows) to establish a baseline of performance. A solar simulator was built to avoid environmental radiant flux irregularities providing a uniform test condition averaging 750–850 W/m2, and resulted in an undefined spectral match, Class B spatial uniformity, and Class B temporal stability. All Nanowindows were tested in a calibrated hot box determined to have a ±4% degree of accuracy based on four laboratory samples establishing a framework to conduct U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) measurements. Four heat exchange experiments and standardized window performance metrics (U-factor, SHGC, and visible transmission) where conducted on seven H2Owindows. The top two H2Owindows were then tested using Al2O3 nanofluids. The highest performing Nanowindow improved total convective heat transfer rates using Al2O3 by 90% over water baseline, and 61% improvement in preheat water experiments. Nanowindows coupled with thermoelectric generators generated a rated voltage of 0.31VDC/0.075ADC per 12in2 Nanowindow, an improvement of 38% over baseline. Standardized window performance metrics confirmed Nanowindow U-factors ranging from 0.23 to 0.54, SHGC from 0.43 to 0.67, and visible transmittance coefficient (VT) ranging from 0.27 to 0.38. The concept of nature as model system thinking provided a theoretical framework for the research and proof of concept experiment. Ultimately, the experiment shifted window gaps from resisting energy to harnessing solar energy. The Nanowindow thus presents a unique opportunity to turn vast glass facades into transparent generators to offset energy demand, and reduce greenhouse gases.

O presente trabalho envolve a análise experimental do efeito da deposição de nanopartículas por meio da ebulição em piscina na molhabilidade e na textura da superfície. Inicialmente, este estudo apresenta uma análise da literatura sobre métodos de avaliação do ângulo de contato, preparo de nanofluidos, procedimentos de avaliação da rugosidade e possíveis efeitos que a deposição de nanopartículas tem sobre a textura da superfície. Verificou-se para as superfícies recobertas com nanopartículas ângulos de contato próximos a zero e comportamento dinâmico para gotas de água depositadas sobre elas. Desta forma, optou-se por avaliar a molhabilidade qualitativamente através da análise da velocidade de espalhamento de uma gota depositada sobre a superfície recoberta. Caracterizou-se também a massa de nanopartículas depositadas, a morfologia e a rugosidade das superfícies. Efetuou-se o recobrimento das superfícies por meio da ebulição em piscina de nanofluidos a base de água deionizada contendo nanopartículas de Al2O3 (10, 20-30 e 40-80 nm), Cu (25 nm) e SiO2 (15 e 80 nm) para concentrações volumétricas de 0,001, 0,01, 0,1 e 0,5%, submetidos a tempos de ebulição de 15, 30, 45 e 180 minutos em superfícies de alumínio e aço inoxidável. Como resultado final deste estudo concluiu-se que a rugosidade superficial e a molhabilidade se elevam com a deposição das nanopartículas. Além disso, a molhabilidade aumenta com o incremento da área da superfície recoberta com aglomerados. / The present study concerns an investigation on the wettability and the surface texture behavior of flat aluminum and stainless steel plates covered with porous thin-films of nanoparticles obtained through pool boiling of nanofluids. Since the contact angle of the obtained surfaces is small and in many cases the deposited droplet exhibits a dynamic behavior, dynamic top-down analyses of spreading droplets were performed. Evaluations were performed of nanoparticles mass deposition on the sample, surface roughness and micro-structural with an SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy). Experiments were performed for nanofluids containing nanoparticles of Al2O3 (10, 20-30 and 40-80 nm), Cu (25nm) and SiO2 (15 and 80 nm) for volumetric concentrations of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5% for pool boiling time set to 15, 30, 45 and 180 minutes over aluminum and stainless steel plates. As a final result of this study it was found that surface roughness and wettability increase with the deposition of the nanoparticles. In addition, the wettability increases with increasing of the surface area covered with clusters.

Submitted by Angela Maria de Oliveira (amolivei@uepg.br) on 2019-02-12T15:41:23Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Cristiano Santos Lopes.pdf: 29539894 bytes, checksum: f1c58591825997b77f26dff47e244408 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2019-02-12T15:41:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Cristiano Santos Lopes.pdf: 29539894 bytes, checksum: f1c58591825997b77f26dff47e244408 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-10-24 / Os nanofluidos plasmônicos tem sido empregados em diversas aplicações nos mais variados campos, como por exemplo, fluidos de arrefecimento, coletores solares e agentes teranósticos. Dentro desta área, o entendimento da difusividade térmica é extremamente importante e as diversas técnicas que existem para a sua determinação podemoferecerresultados divergentes.O usodetécnicasfototérmicasapresentamuma grande sensibilidade para medir vários parâmetros dos nanofluidos. Neste trabalho, nanopartículasesféricasdepratacomtamanhomédiode32nmforamsintetizadaspelo métododeTurkevicherevestidascomosurfactantePolivinilpirrolidona(PVP).Medidas de índice de refração não linear e difusividade térmica de nanofluidos de prata foram realizadas por meio das técnicas de Z-Scan e Lente Térmica. Conseguimos obter uma relação entre o índice de refração com a frequência, e também da difusividade térmica com a concentração de nanopartículas. Estes resultados foram corroborados uma vez que a técnica utilizada neste trabalho foi replicada para a análise da difusidade térmica da água, cujo valor adquirido está de acordo com o valor já conhecido na literatura. / Plasmonic nanofluids have been used in several applications in many different fields, such as cooling fluids, solar collectors and theranostic agents. Related to this area, the understanding of thermal diusivity is extremely important and the various techniques that exist for its determination can offer divergent results. The use of photothermal techniques shows presents a great sensitivity to measure various parameters of nanoflu- ids. In this work, silver spherical nanoparticles with a average diameter of 32 nm were synthesized by the Turkevich method and coated with the surfactant Polyvinylpyrroli- done (PVP). Nonlinear refractive index and thermal diffusivity measurements of silver nanofluids were performed using the Z-Scan and Thermal Lens techniques.We obtained a relation that describe the dependence of the refractive index index of refraction with the frequency and also for of the thermal diffusivity with the nanoparticles concentration. These results were corroborated since the technique used in this work was replicated for the water thermal diffusion analysis, whose obtained value is in agreement with the expected literature value.

Cette thèse, à la fois numérique et expérimentale, porte sur l’étude du transfert de chaleur par convection naturelle qui apparait au sein d’une cavité hémisphérique en régime stationnaire. L’enceinte est remplie d’eau ou de nanofluide de type eau / ZnO. La fraction volumique varie entre 0 (eau pure) et 10%. La coupole de la cavité est maintenue à température froide. Ce travail s’applique au domaine de l’ingénierie électronique et plus particulièrement au refroidissement des composants actifs de différentes formes. Trois géométries de sources de chaleur sont étudiées : la première est plane et circulaire (disque) et les suivantes, centrées sur le disque, de même surface d’échange, sont cubique et hémisphérique. L’angle d’inclinaison du disque varie entre 0 (coupole orientée vers le haut) et 180° (coupole orientée vers le bas) par rapport au plan horizontal. Les sources de chaleur génèrent des puissances qui conduisent à des Rayleigh importants. L’approche numérique est effectuée à l’aide de la méthode des volumes finis basée sur l’algorithme SIMPLE et un modèle monophasique. Pour chaque source active, le transfert de chaleur convectif est analysé et quantifié par l’intermédiaire d’une corrélation du type Nusselt-Rayleigh-Prandtl-angle d’inclinaison. D’un point de vue expérimental, la fabrication des sources de chaleur est minutieusement décrite étape par étape et le calcul du coefficient de transfert convectif moyen expérimental est détaillé. La comparaison mesures-corrélations remet en question l’efficacité du nanofluide en termes de refroidissement. / This numerical and experimental thesis deals with natural convective heat transfer that occurs in a hemispherical cavity in steady state. The enclosure is filled with water or ZnO / water nanofluid. The volume fraction varies between 0% (pure water) and 10%. The coupola of the cavity is kept at a cold temperature. This work corresponds to the field of electronics and the cooling of different actives composants. Three active heating sources are studied: the first one is plane and circular (the disc) and the followings, centered on the disc with the same surface, are cubical and hemispherical. The tilted angle varies between 0 (dome facing upwards) and 180° (dome facing downwards) with respect to the horizontal plane. Heat sources generate important heat fluxes leading to high Rayleigh numbers values. Numerical approach is done by means of the volume control method based on the SIMPLE algorithm and using monophasic model. For each active source, the convective heat transfer is analyzed and quantified by means of a correlation of the Nusselt-Rayleig-Prandtl-tilt angle type. Experimentally, the heat sources are built step by step and the average convective heat transfer coefficient is calculated. The comparison measures-correlations questions on the cooling nanofluid’s efficiency.

This thesis covers the topic ”Thinning and Turbulence in Aqueous Films”. Experimental studies in two-dimensional systems gained an increasing amount of attention during the last decade. Thin liquid films serve as paradigms of atmospheric convection, thermal convection in the Earth’s mantle or turbulence in magnetohydrodynamics. Recent research on colloids, interfaces and nanofluids lead to advances in the developtment of micro-mixers (lab-on-a-chip devices). In this project a detailed description of a thin film experiment with focus on the particular surface forces is presented. The impact of turbulence on the thinning of liquid films which are oriented parallel to the gravitational force is studied. An experimental setup was developed which permits the capturing of thin film interference patterns under controlled surface and atmospheric conditions. The measurement setup also serves as a prototype of a mixer on the basis of thermally induced turbulence in liquid thin films with thicknesses in the nanometer range. The convection is realized by placing a cooled copper rod in the center of the film. The temperature gradient between the rod and the atmosphere results in a density gradient in the liquid film, so that different buoyancies generate turbulence. In the work at hand the thermally driven convection is characterized by a newly developed algorithm, named Cluster Imaging Velocimetry (CIV). This routine determines the flow relevant vector fields (velocity and deformation). On the basis of these insights the flow in the experiment was investigated with respect to its mixing properties. The mixing characteristics were compared to theoretical models and mixing efficiency of the flow scheme calculated. The gravitationally driven thinning of the liquid film was analyzed under the influence of turbulence. Strong shear forces lead to the generation of ultra-thin domains which consist of Newton black film. Due to the exponential expansion of the thin areas and the efficient mixing, this two-phase flow rapidly turns into the convection of only ultra-thin film. This turbulence driven transition was observed and quantified for the first time. The existence of stable convection in liquid nanofilms was proven for the first time in the context of this work. / Diese Diplomarbeit behandelt das Thema ”Dünnung und Turbulenz in wässrigen Filmen”. Experimente in zweidimensionalen Systemen erfuhren in den vergangenen Jahren zunehmend an Aufmerksamkeit. Dünne Flüssigkeitsschichten dienen als Modell für atmosphärische Konvektion, thermische Konvektion im Erdmantel oder Turbulenz in der Magnetohydrodynamik. Aktuelle Forschung im Bereich der Kolloide, Grenzflächen und Nanofluidik führt zu Fortschritten in der Entwicklung von Mikromixern (”lab-on-a-chip”). In diesem Projekt wird eine detaillierte Beschreibung eines Dünnfilmexperiments mit Fokus auf die besonderen Oberflächenkräfte vorgestellt. Die Auswirkung der Turbulenz auf die Dünnung von parallel zur Gravitationskraft orientierten Flüssigkeitsschichten wurde untersucht. Es wurde ein Experiment entwickelt, welches die Aufnahme von Dünnschichtinterferenzmustern unter kontrollierten Oberflächenbedingungen und Atmosphäre erlaubt. Der Messaufbau dient auch als Prototyp eines Mixers auf Basis von thermisch induzierter Turbulenz in Flüssigkeitsfilmen mit Dicken im Nanometerbereich. Die Konvektion wird durch das Platzieren eines gekühlten Kupferstabs in der Mitte des Films realisiert. Der Temperaturgradient zwischen Stab und äußerer Atmosphäre resultiert in einem Dichtegradienten in dem flüssigen Film, sodass durch unterschiedliche Auftriebskräfte Turbulenz erzeugt wird. In der vorliegenden Arbeit ist die thermisch getriebenen Konvektion an Hand eines neu entwickelten Verfahrens (Cluster Imaging Velocimetry - CIV) zur Ermittlung des strömungsrelevanten Vektorfelder (Geschwindigkeit und Deformation) charakterisiert worden. Auf Basis dieser Erkenntnisse wurde die im Experiment vorherrschende Strömung in Hinsicht auf ihre Mischungseigenschaften im Vergleich zu theoretischen Modellen untersucht und die Mischungseffizienz berechnet. Die gravitationsgetriebene Ausdünnung der Flüssigkeitsschicht unter Einfluss der Turbulenz wurde analysiert. Durch starke Scherkräfte kommt es lokal zur Bildung ultradünner Domänen bestehend aus ”Newton black film”. Diese Zweiphasenströmung geht durch das exponentielle Ausdehnen der dünnen Bereiche und die effiziente Mischung sehr schnell in eine Konvektion von ausschließlich ultradünnem Film im Gleichgewichtszustand über. Dieser turbulenzgetriebene Übergang wurde zum ersten Mal beobachtet und quantifiziert. Die Existenz stabiler Konvektion in flüssigen Nanofilmen ist zum ersten Mal im Rahmen dieser Arbeit belegt worden.

Nanofluids, a new class of fluids engineered by suspending nanometer-sized particles in a host liquid, are offered as a new strategy in order to improve heat and mass transfer efficiency. My research was motivated by previous exciting studies on enhanced mass diffusion and the possibility of tailoring mass transport by direct manipulation of molecular diffusion. Therefore, a microfluidic approach capable of directly probing tracer diffusion between nanoparticle-laden fluid streams was developed. Under conditions matching previously reported studies, strong complexation interactions between the dye and nanoparticles at the interface between fluid streams was observed. When the tracer dye and surfactant were carefully chosen to minimize the collective effects of the interactions, no significant change in tracer dye diffusivity was observed in the presence of nanoparticles. Next, adapting tracer dyes for studies involving colloidal nanomaterials was explored. Addition of these charged tracers poses a myriad of challenges because of their propensity to disrupt the delicate balance among physicochemical interactions governing suspension stability. Here it was shown how important it is to select the compatible combinations of dye, nanoparticle, and stabilizing surfactant to overcome these limitations in low volume fraction (< 1 vol%) aqueous suspensions of Al2O3 nanoparticles. A microfluidic system was applied as a stability probe that unexpectedly revealed how rapid aggregation could be readily triggered in the presence of local chemical gradients. Suspension stability was also assessed in conjunction with coordinated measurements of zeta potential, steady shear viscosity and bulk thermal conductivity. These studies also guided our efforts to prepare new refrigerant formulations containing dispersed nanomaterials, including graphene nanosheets, carbon nanotubes and metal oxide and nitride. The influence of key parameters such as particle type, size and volume fraction on the suspension's thermal conductivity was investigated using a standard protocol. Our findings showed that thermal conductivity values of carbon nanotube and graphene nanosheet suspensions were higher than TiO2 nanoparticles, despite some nanoparticles with large particle sizes provided noticeable thermal conductivity enhancements. Significantly, the graphene containing suspensions uniquely matched the thermal conductivity enhancements attained in nanotube suspensions without accompanying viscosity, thus making them an attractive new coolant for demanding applications such as electronics and reactor cooling.

Through past research, it is known that carbon nanotubes have the potential of enhancing the thermal performance of heat transfer fluids. The research is of importance in electronics cooling, defense, space, transportation applications and any other area where small and highly efficient heat transfer systems are needed. However, most of the past work discusses the experimental results by focusing on the effect of varying concentration of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the thermal performance of CNT nanofluids. Not much work has been done on studying the effect of processing variables. In the current experimental work, accurate measurements were carried out in an effort to understand the impact of several key variables on laminar flow convective heat transfer. The impact of ultrasonication energy on CNT nanofluids processing, and the corresponding effects on flow and thermal properties were studied in detail. The properties measured were viscosity, thermal conductivity and the convective heat transfer under laminar conditions. Four samples of 1 wt % multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) aqueous suspensions with different ultrasonication times were prepared for the study. Direct imaging was done using a newly developed wet-TEM technique to assess the dispersion characteristics of CNT nanofluid samples. The results obtained were discussed in the context of the CNT nanofluid preparation by ultrasonication and its indirect effect on each of the properties. It was found that the changes in viscosity and enhancements in thermal conductivity and convective heat transfer are affected by ultrasonication time. The maximum enhancements in thermal conductivity and convective heat transfer were found to be 20 % and 32 %, respectively, in the sample processed for 40 minutes. The thermal conductivity enhancement increased considerably at temperatures greater than 24 °C. The percentage enhancement in convective heat transfer was found to increase with the axial distance in the heat transfer section. Additionally, the suspensions were found to exhibit a shear thinning behavior, which followed the Power Law viscosity model.

Résumé: Les mécanismes de perfectionnement du transfert thermique des nanofluids sont encore peu clairs. Les études précédentes au sujet des nanofluids ont essayé de résoudre certains des nombreux défis au sujet de la performance thermique et hydrodynamique des nanofluides et de leurs propriétés ; toutefois il reste beaucoup de problèmes non résolus et questions sans réponse certaine. Par conséquent, plus d'études sont nécessaires, qui peuvent être expérimentales, numériques ou théoriques. Dans la présente étude, des nanofluides sont étudiés intensivement en utilisant des approches numériques et analytiques. La partie numérique se compose de trois chapitres et couvre un éventail de problèmes de transfert thermique, incluant; laminaire et turbulente, monophasique et diphasique, aussi bien que, convection mixte et convection forcée. Plusieurs concentrations volumétriques de nanoparticules et nombres de Reynolds sont considérés. Le deuxième chapitre est consacré à la convection laminaire mixte de nanofluide d'Al[indice inférieur 2]O[indice inférieur 3]-eau à l'intérieur d'un tube horizontal. Le flux uniforme de chaleur est appliqué au mur. Deux nombres de Reynolds et trois concentrations volumétriques de nanoparticules sont utilisés, et finalement les résultats numériques thermiques et hydrodynamiques de trois différents modèles diphasiques et du modèle monophasique sont comparés aux données expérimentales. On démontre que les résultats de ces différentes approches sont extrêmement différents. Pour un régime de convection laminaire mixte, les modèles diphasiques sont en meilleur accord avec des données expérimentales. Les résultats de modèles diphasiques sont proches mais loin des résultats du modèle monophasique. Le troisième chapitre évalue la sensibilité de la formulation laminaire sur des combinaisons choisies des expressions pour la conductivité et la viscosité des nanofluids. Deux expressions pour la conductivité et trois pour la viscosité sont choisis, ce qui donne six combinaisons. Ces choix s'avèrent avoir des effets très importants sur les résultats finals. Par conséquent, chaque étude numérique devrait d'abord justifier son choix des corrélations de viscosité-conductivité. En outre, une liste des modèles les plus importants pour la conductivité et la viscosité des nanofluids est recueillie et incluse dans ce chapitre. Le quatrième chapitre évalue les résultats du modèle monophasique et trois différents modèles diphasiques pour la convection forcée turbulente de nanofluide dans un tube horizontal. Le flux uniforme de la chaleur est appliqué au mur. Le modèle turbulent "Realizable k-[epsilon]" est employé, qui est un modèle à deux équations. Deux ensembles de données expérimentales pour différents nanofluides (Al[indice inférieur 2]O[indice inférieur 3]-eau et Cu-eau) sont employés, qui couvrent un éventail des concentrations volumétriques de nanoparticules et de nombres de Reynolds. L'exactitude monophasique des résultats est confirmée avec un choix approprié de combinaisons de conductivité-viscosité. Les résultats des différents modèles diphasiques sont proches; cependant, ils sont très loin des résultats monophasique [i.e. monophasiques] et des données expérimentales. Les modèles diphasiques ne pourraient pas satisfaire les données expérimentales pour le régime convection forcée turbulente de deux nanofluides différents par deux différentes études expérimentales, alors que l'approche monophasique le fait bien. Dans la partie analytique de l'étude, de nouveaux modèles pour la conductivité thermique des nanofluides et le nombre de Nusselt de l'écoulement autour des nanoparticules sont dérivés. Ces modèles tiennent compte de l'effet du mouvement Brownien, de la résistance thermique surfacique, du groupement des particules, de la distribution de taille de ces groupements et de la micro-convection aussi bien que de la concentration des particules, de la dimension particulaire et de la température. Le groupement des particules et la distribution de leur taille sont analysés à l'aide de la théorie fractale. Le modèle proposé pour la conductivité des nanofluides est comparé aux données expérimentales de plusieurs études pour cinq nanofluides différents et différentes concentrations volumétriques de nanoparticules. Ce modèle est également comparé à deux modèles semblables. II montre une très bonne concordance avec l'expérience et une meilleure performance comparé à ces modèles choisis.||Abstract: The mechanisms of nanofluids heat transfer enhancement are still unclear. Previous studies about nanofluids have tried to solve some of many challenges about the thermal and hydrodynamic performance of nanofluids and their properties; however still there are many problems unsolved and questions without a certain answer. Hence, more studies are necessary, which can be experimental, numerical and theoretical. In the present study, nanofluids are investigated intensively using numerical and analytical approaches. The numerical part consists of three chapters and covers a wide range of heat transfer problems, including; laminar and turbulent, single-phase and two-phase as well as mixed convection and forced convection flows. Several particle volume fractions and a large number of Reynolds numbers are considered. Chapter two is dedicated to laminar mixed convection flow of Al 2 O 3 -water nanofluid inside a horizontal tube. Uniform heat flux is applied at the wall. Two Reynolds numbers and three particle volume fractions are used, and finally the thermal and hydrodynamic numerical results from three different two-phase models and the single phase model are compared with experimental data. It is shown that the predictions of these different approaches are extremely different. For a laminar mixed convection flow, two-phase models are in better agreement with a given experimental data. The two-phase models predictions are close but far from single-phase. Chapter three evaluates the sensitivity of the laminar formulation on selected combinations of models for the conductivity and viscosity of nanofluids. Two models for the conductivity and three for the viscosity are chosen, which make six combinations. These choices are found to have very important effects on the final results. Therefore, every numerical study should first justify their choice of viscosity-conductivity correlations. Also, a list of the most important models for the conductivity and viscosity of nanofluids are gathered and included in this chapter. Chapter four evaluates the predictions of single-phase and three different two-phase models for turbulent forced convection inside a horizontal tube. Uniform heat flux is applied at the wall. Realizable k-[varepsilon] turbulent model is used, which is a two-equation model. Two sets of experimental data for different nanofluids (Al 2 O3 -water and Cu-water) are used, which cover a wide range of volume fractions and Reynolds numbers. The single-phase results accuracy is confirmed with an appropriate selection of conductivity-viscosity combination. The results from different two-phase models are found to be very close; however, they were too far from the single-phase predictions and the experimental data. Two-phase models could not satisfy the experimental data for turbulent forced convection flow of two different nanofluids from different experimental studies, while single-phase approach does it well. In the analytical part of the study, new models for the thermal conductivity of nanofluids and the Nusselt number of the flow around the nanoparticles are derived. These models take into account the effect of Brownian motion, interfacial thermal resistance, particles clustering, clusters size distribution and micro-convection as well as particles concentration, particles size and temperature. The clusters size and size distribution are analyzed based on the fractal theory. The proposed model for the conductivity of nanofluids is compared with experimental data from several studies for five different nanofluids and various magnitudes of volume fractions. This model is also compared with two similar models. It shows very good agreement with experiment and better performance compared to those selected models.[symboles non conformes]

Utilizing an experimental facility which was prepared to conduct performance tests on heat exchangers; experiments were completed in an attempt to see verifiable improvements in overall heat transfer coefficient in engine coolant with nanoparticles suspended at different weight percentages. The different fluids tested were: base ELC (Extended Life Coolant), ELC with 0.002 wt% CNT (Carbon Nanotubes), ELC with 0.02 wt% CNT, ELC with 0.02 wt% MWNT's (Multiwalled Nanotubes) and water. The volume percents range from 0.00164 volume% to 0.0164 volume% which seemed quite small, but according to Caterpillar representatives, were the best concentration. These fluids were tested at standard flowrates which this type of heat exchanger would be used in as well as a higher air flowrate and lower coolant flowrates in an attempt to gather more verifiable data. Results were obtained regarding the change in heat transfer ability of engine coolant with suspended nanoparticles. For this system under these specific conditions, there was verifiably no increase in UA as nanoparticles were added to the coolant. The benefits of adding nanoparticles to engine coolant have potential to be great, but the cost of nanoparticles and difficulty keeping them suspended may outweigh any benefits obtainable in this type of set up.