Thermal Performance and Viscosity of Biologically Produced Silver/Coconut Oil Nanofluids

M. M. Sarafraz, A. Arya, V. Nikkhah and F. Hormozi

Abstract
In this work, thermal conductivity, viscosity, and boiling heat transfer coefficient of a biologically produced nano-coolant were experimentally quantified. The nanoparticles were produced from silver nitrate via the plant extraction method and by means of green tea leaf extract. The mean size of the particles was 50 nm, with spherical morphology and single-phase structure of Ag (silver). The synthesized particles were dispersed in coconut oil as base fluid. Thermal conductivity and viscosity of the nanofluid were experimentally measured and correlated based on temperature and concentration of nanoparticles via the regression analysis. Thermal performance of the nanofluid inside an annular heat exchanger with convective boiling conditions (in forced convection and nucleate boiling heat transfer regimes) was assessed. The results demonstrated a superior thermal performance in both heat transfer regions over the base oil, and revealed that this nanofluid can be used as a coolant as well as a lubricant in engines with high heat flux conditions, as its thermal conductivity and viscosity were enhanced due to the presence of Ag particles inside the oil.

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Keywords
silver nanoparticle, thermal conductivity, viscosity, boiling heat transfer, plant extraction