Enhancement of Convective Flow and Heat Transfer Using Nanofluids: A Critical Review

Abstract

Nanofluids are an innovative class of materials that have been recently developed due to their superior ability to improve thermal performance in industrial applications. It is prepared by dispersing metal particles and metal oxides in the base liquid to ensure proper distribution. Thermal conductivity is a key criterion in developing thermal energy transmission fluids. A literature reviesw was conducted to study the types of nanoparticles used at different concentrations and to review the stability evaluation of nanofluids. Researchers have also suggested adding surfactants such as Colace (docusate sodium), trisodium citrate dihydrate (TSC), and sodium lauryl sulfonate (SLS) to increase stability. The effect of physical and thermal properties was analyzed and the impact of different particle shapes was investigated, where spherical and cylindrical shapes were used because they provide a better heat transfer rate than other shapes. The results show that there is a positive correlation between the concentration of solid nanoparticles, thermal conductivity, and Nusselt number.