Effect of various shape and nanoparticle concentration based ternary hybrid nanofluid coolant on the thermal performance for automotive radiator

Abstract

The performance evaluation of radiator with the application of a new coolant, water-based of various shape nanoparticles i.e., spherical (CuO), cylindrical (CNT), platelet (Graphene) and vol. concentrations based ternary hybrid nanofluid have been investigated theoretically. Impact of heat transfer rate and pressure drop along with exergetic analysis on vol. fraction of ternary hybrid nanofluid, coolant flow rate, and air velocity has been considered. Furthermore, the XRD and SEM morphology analysis have been conducted for 1% vol. fraction of ternary hybrid nanofluid. Theoretical comparative analysis revealed that the change in ternary hybrid concentrations plays a vital role in thermal performance due to its shape factor of nanoparticles. An increment of 19.35% and 7.2% in heat transfer rate and the second law of efficiency, respectively, were observed for variation in vol.fraction range within 1%–3% at 10 lpm. The application of ternary hybrid nanofluid increases the irreversibility of the system with coolant flow rate and air velocity. Entropy change for air is greater compared to entropy change in the coolants and results in a 29.15% increment in entropy change for ternary hybrid nanofluid. Similarly, an increase in air velocity also has the least effect on fan power. This inspection divulges on the particle shape and vol. concentrations both have a critical consequence on the accomplishment of ternary hybrid nanofluids in radiators, and its application is more effective in enhancing the thermal performance for an automotive cooling system. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.