Challanges of Using Nanofluids in Two-Phase Heat Transfer Applications

Abstract

This study aims to reveal difficulties faced while nanofluids are used in two-phase heat transfer applications such as boiling and condensation. The discussion is supported by both a review of literature and experimental observations conducted by the author. Nanofluid research related to boiling/condensation makes up 29.3% of the total boiling/condensation studies conducted over the years. It indicates that nanofluids remain a prominent area of inquiry in two-phase research. Numerous studies have explored the beneficial effects of nanofluids on heat transfer performance. Despite the fact that many academic papers show outcomes of using nanofluids in thermal applications, nanofluids’ translation to industrial applications remains limited. In this experimental work, key obstacles include nanoparticle deposition on heated surfaces; instability has been observed and depicted. Besides this experimental study, outcomes from many experimental studies, including flow boiling, have been evaluated. After this evaluation, agglomeration under thermal cycling, increased viscosity leading to higher pumping power requirements, and erosion or corrosion of system components, especially in microchannel configurations, have been summarized as disadvantages of nanofluids. Furthermore, experimental results are often inconsistent, owing to variations in nanoparticle type, fluid composition, and test conditions. Apart from heat transfer rate and viscosity, which are the most important outcomes for heat transfer applications, the thermal process sector has bigger concerns, such as sustainability in both the application and environment.