Characterization and engineering applications of nanofluids

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Because of their enhanced heat transfer capabilities compared to typical coolants, nanofluids offer the engineer opportunities for development in areas where high heat transfer, small component size and low temperature tolerances are required. One can envisage uses of the technology in a wide variety of areas ranging from electronic component cooling to other more conventional cooling requirements such as typical mechanical systems. It is well known that, for example, the miniaturization of electronic devices with increased power densities have necessitated the search for innovative techniques of heat dissipation. It is believed that nanofluids have a great potential of becoming a new heat transfer medium and we are therefore interested in investigating their use in actual engineering applications. The overall objectives of this proposal, which constitute the continuation of a long-term research initiative, are therefore to make valued contributions to research in the application of nanofluids to typical engineering cooling systems. More specifically, these include the investigation of nanofluid thermophysical properties (i.e. effective thermal conductivity and viscosity) as well as an evaluation of the potential use of nanofluids in typical engineering thermal management systems, such as radial flow cooling devices. It is believed that the introduction of nanofluids in typical cooling systems will provide a considerable improvement in the heat removal performance over actual capabilities. The use of nanofluids should allow size and weight reductions of various thermal management systems. Examples of these include reduced size heat exchangers (including heat sinks and microchannel applications), reductions of heat transfer fluid inventories, reductions in emissions, etc... All these benefits will translate into a better ability to engineer greater energy efficiency using smaller/lighter systems with lower operating costs and, as an added benefit, a cleaner environment. Therefore, it is quite conceivable that the resulting research from this present proposal will be of great interest as well as creating considerable industrial benefits.