Numerical Investigation of Total Heat Transfer Rate & Exergy Analysis of Automobile Radiator by Using Nanofluid as Coolant

Krishnpal Singh Tomar | Dr. Suman Sharma ^[5]

Abstract: The automobile sector is one of the fastest developing and growing industries not only in India but on the world level. The Indian automobile industry is one of the largest in the world. Sales of automobile are increasing rapidly every year. The sales of automobile are increased by about 14 % in the year of 2017. The overall Commercial Vehicles segment grew by 19.94 percent in April-March 2018 as compared to the same period last year i. e.2017. Further, above data shows that automobile sector is one of the vast area for research work for the comfort of passengers there are plenty of research area available in the field of automobile like suspension system, steering system, break system, engine design and many more. Engine of any vehicle is considered as heart of the whole automobile. Further, engine can only work well when its cooling system done proper cooling of engine. Overheating and overcooling will consequences savior damage to engine. So, proper cooling of engine is very essential research area of any automobile sector. Engine cooling comprises several parts like radiator, pump etc. cooling of engine is done by coolants which flows in to the radiator tubes. Coolants take heat from engine and reject it to atmospheric air while passing through radiator tube. Coolants is a mixture of water and ant freezing agent mostly ethylene glycol. Water is one of the most effective coolants due to its thermo physical properties. But when we mix ant freezing agent in water its cooling capacity gets decrease. Now to increase its cooling capacity we have to make bigger radiator which further increase the weight of the automobile which decrease engine performance. So, there is a need of new technology for coolants which increase the cooling capacity without increase the size of radiator. The new technological coolant called Nano Fluids which is nothing but a mixture of Nano sized particles in the mixture of water and ant freezing agent. Due to its good thermo physical properties Nano fluids will produce better cooling as compared to conventional coolants. Present study uses 60 % of water and 40 % of ethylene glycol as base fluid with three Nano particles like Al2O3, CuO and MgO. The radiator used is cross flow heat exchanger with unmixed fluid which id TBD-232 type diesel engine. For the calculation of total heat transfer rate and second law efficiency a computer program in C++ language has been made. The present study shows that, the total heat transfer rate of the radiator has been found higher, when nano-fluids were used as coolants rather than of base fluids only. An increment of 15 % to 18 % was seeing in the total heat transfer rate of the radiator using nano-particles in the base fluid. Nano fluid based on MgO, Al2O3 and CuO, having total heat transfer rate grater then 18 %, 17 %, and 15 % respectively of base fluid coolant only. MgO based nano fluids shows highest total heat transfer rate as compared to other nano fluids. The second law efficiency of the radiator has been found higher, when nano-fluids were used as coolants rather than of base fluids only. An increment of 19 % to 21.5 % was seeing in the second law efficiency of the radiator using nano-particles in the base fluid. Nano fluid based on MgO, Al2O3 and CuO, having second law efficiency grater then 21.42 %, 20.95 %, and 19.75 % respectively of base fluid coolant only. MgO based nano fluids shows highest second law efficiency as compared to other nano fluids.

Keywords: Exergy, Nanofluid, Hear Transfer Rate, Louvered fins

Edition: Volume 7 Issue 5, May 2018,

Pages: 1196 - 1205