Abstract

HERNANDEZ, Diana C.; NIETO-LONDONO, César  and  ZAPATA-BENABITHE, Zulamita. Analysis of working nanofluids for a refrigeration system. Dyna rev.fac.nac.minas [online]. 2016, vol.83, n.196, pp.176-183. ISSN 0012-7353.  https://doi.org/10.15446/dyna.v83n196.50897.

This paper presents the analysis of nanorefrigerant fluids to improve the thermal efficiency of a refrigeration system. Simulations in ANSYS FLUENT 15.0 were performed with mixtures of refrigerants R113, R123 and R134a, with Al₂O₃ nanoparticles at 1 vf% and 5 vf% (vf%, fraction volume concentration), flowing through a horizontal tube with a constant wall temperature. A mixture and the k-e turbulent models were employed to obtain results of heat transfer coefficient, temperature and pressure drop for each case. Results show an increment in thermal characteristics by adding 1 vf% and 5 vf% of Al₂O₃ nanoparticles to the three refrigerants selected. However, the size of the nanoparticle does not affect the thermal properties of nanofluid and the pressure drop does not show a specific pattern of behavior at different concentrations of nanoparticles. Finally, the mixture of R134a with 30 nm of mean diameter size Al₂O₃ at 1 vf% was selected because of its higher thermal efficiency and its favorable properties as a refrigerant.

Keywords : Nanofluids; Refrigeration system; Thermal efficiency; Heat transfer coefficient..

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in English     · English ( pdf )