Experimental investigation of a plate heat exchanger performance using functionalized MWCNT/water nanofluid

Heat exchangers have been widely used for efficient heat transfer from one medium to another. Nanofluids can afford excellent thermal performance in heat exchangers. The influences of nanofluid utilization as the working fluid in a plate heat exchanger was experimentally analyzed in this study. In order to show off the improvement in heat transfer, the experiments were performed by using distillated water and Carboxyle multi-walled carbon nanotube/distillated water nanofluid. The nanofluid was prepared at the rate of ۰.۰۳ % to ۰.۰۶% as weighted. A surface-active agent, Gum Arabic, was also doped into the mixture to prevent the sedimentation and flocculation of the nanoparticles inside the solution. The results indicate that heat transfer coefficient in plate heat exchanger can be improved using nanofluid as the working fluid in place of distillated water. The maximum improvement in Convective heat transfer coefficient was obtained as ۴۰.۱ % in experimental study. Also, the increment of particle weight fraction of nanofluids enhanced the pressure drop insignificantly.

Keywords:

Plate heat exchanger , Heat transfer performance , Nanofluid , Pressure drop , Experimental analysis.