Nanofluids for Heat Transfer Enhancement in Aircraft Systems

Get thisThe Air Force has a desire to investigate the use of nanofluids as a means to reduce the size and weight of thermal management systems used in advanced aircraft. Nanofluids, traditional heat transfer fluids containing dispersed metal oxide nanoparticles, have up to a 50% increase in thermal conductivity compared to regular heat transfer fluids. Therefore, heat exchangers can be designed with less weight and volume. However, the nanofluid must be stable over long periods of time and not clog small passages, damage pumps, or corrode aluminum. Also, the heat exchanger design must consider the effects of increased viscosity and thermal conductivity on the characteristic length of the entry region laminar flow regime. The heat transfer coefficient is dependant on flow regime and in some regimes it is dependant on viscosity and/or thermal conductivity. This project will investigate a method for promoting a long-term stable nanofluid and test it’s performance in a compact heat exchanger. The project will culminate with a detailed analysis on using nanofluids in compact heat exchangers for aircraft thermal management. It will estimate the potential size reduction for compact heat exchangers that are designed to operate in either the entry region laminar flow, fully developed laminar flow, or the fully developed turbulent flow regimes.