Experimental investigation of viscosity and thermal conductivity of ethylene glycol/water nanofluid containing low volume concentration of CuO nanoparticles, MWCNT and their mixture

Thermal conductivity and viscosity of CuO/ethylene glycol/water, multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)/ethylene glycol/water and CuO/MWCNT/ethylene glycol/water nanofluid systems were determined experimentally at temperature range of ۵ to ۵۰oC and very low concentration (less than ۰.۰۰۸ vol.%). The obtained results show that the thermal conductivity of nanofluids significantly increases with increasing nanofluid temperature. It is also verified that the enhancement in thermal conductivity of nanofluid systems containing mixed CuO/MWCNT is more than systems containing CuO or MWCNT individually. Analyses of the viscosity data indicate that the viscosity diminishes with increasing temperature. The higher concentrations of all nanofluid systems possess higher viscosity. The results also show that the viscosity of nanofluid systems containing mixed CuO/MWCNT is between the viscosities of the systems containing CuO and MWCNT individually.

Keywords:

Nanoparticle , Nanofluid , Thermal Conductivity , Viscosity , mixed CuO/MWCNT