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Heat Transfer Enhancement Analysis of Al2O3-Water Nanofluid through

Parallel and Counter Flow in Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers

Article  in  International Journal of Nanoscience · May 2017

DOI: 10.1142/S0219581X1750020X

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International Journal of Nanoscience
Vol. 16, Nos. 5 & 6 (2017) 1750020 (7 pages)
#.c World Scienti¯c Publishing Company
DOI: 10.1142/S0219581X1750020X

Heat Transfer Enhancement Analysis of Al2O3-Water

Nano°uid Through Parallel and Counter Flow
in Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers

S. Nallusamy*
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Chennai, India
ksnallu@gmail.com
N. Manikanda Prabu
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Nehru Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, India
mkp.thetrinity@gmail.com

Received 5 July 2016

Accepted 5 May 2017
Published 23 June 2017

Heat exchanger plays an essential part in industrial sector in transferring the heat energy. Heat is
exchanged between °uids in convection and conduction mode through the walls of the heat
exchanger. If the heat transfer medium has low thermal conductivity, it will greatly limit the
e±ciency of the heat exchanger. Whenever the system acts subjected to an increase in the heat
load, heat °uxes caused by more power and smaller size, cooling is one of the technical challenges
faced by the industries. The objective of this research work is to evaluate the overall heat transfer
coe±cient through an experimental analysis on the convective heat transfer and °ow character-
istics of a nano°uid. In our experiment, the nano°uid consists of water and one percentage volume
concentration of Al2O3-water nano°uid °owing through parallel and counter °ow in shell and tube
heat exchangers. About 50 nm diameter of Al2O3 nanoparticles was used in this analysis and found
that the overall heat transfer coe±cient and convective heat transfer coe±cient of nano°uid were
slightly higher than those of the base liquid at same mass °ow rate and inlet temperature. Here,
there are three samples of dissimilar mass °ow rates, which have been identi¯ed for conducting the
experiments and their results are continuously monitored and reported. Finally, the observed
results through an experimental investigation were presented and concluded that the enhance-
ment of overall heat transfer coe±cient is likely to be feasible by means of increasing the mass °ow
rate of base °uid and prepared nano°uid on the proportional basis.

Keywords: Heat exchanger; Al2O3; nano°uid; heat transfer rate; LMTD.

1. Introduction have been established to possess enhanced thermal

Nanotechnology has become one of the fastest grow- and physical properties such as thermal conductivity,
ing scienti¯c and engineering disciplines. Nano°uids thermal di®usivity, viscosity, and convective heat

* Corresponding author.

1750020-1
S. Nallusamy & N. Manikanda Prabu
transfer coe±cients. Nano°uids are used in di®erent
¯elds such as automotive manufacturing, transpor-
tation, microelectronics, and heating and cooling
process.1 The performance of these °uids is often
limited due to their thermo-physical properties.
Recently, nano°uid has been used in natural con-
vection applications for broad areas such as heat
exchangers, nuclear reactors, boilers, electronic
cooling, and energy storage devices.2,3 New ideas
and abridge reports are a®ecting various parameters
such as the ratio of the thermal conductivity of
nanoparticles to that of a base °uid, volume frac-
tion, nanoparticle size, and temperature on the
e®ective thermal conductivity of nano°uids. There
are many experimental details, results, and devel-
opments in research on the heat transfer char-
acteristics of nano°uids, particularly carbon
nanotubes.4 An innovative nano°uid method was
developed by synthesizing aluminum nitride nano-
particles with water and applied in a shell and tube
heat exchanger. The thermal transport properties of
this nano°uid, including thermal conductivity and
heat transfer coe±cient, have been characterized.5
The heat transfer improvement was found in the
hybrid nanoparticles mixed with water and tested
in shell and tube heat exchanger, which established
that enhancement is found to be more with nano-
°uid when compared with water alone.6,7 Hybrid
nanoparticles form immediate precipitating when
used in any mechanical application and is charac-
terized by an improvement of base particles such as
nanoparticles of metals, metal oxides, and carbides.8
The problem of thermally developing laminar mixed
convection °ow of water and Al2O3-water mixture
inside an inclined tube with a uniform wall heat °ux
on its outside surface has been investigated experi-
mentally, which had revealed that the presence of
nanoparticles produces important changes in the
temperature ¯eld.9,10 Enhancement of thermal
conductivity of conventional °uids by the suspen-
sion of solid particles, such as micrometer- or
millimeter-sized particles, has been recognized for
about hundred years.11 The reliability and perfor-
mance of a refrigeration system were studied using
nano lubricant with tetra°uoroethane refrigerant.
Mineral oil when mixed with nano particles such as
titanium dioxide (TiO2 Þ and aluminum oxide
(Al2O3 Þ signi¯ed that tetra°uoroethane refrigerant
and mineral oil with abovementioned nanoparticles
works normally and safely in the refrigeration
system.12 The heat transfer coe±cients of shell
and helically coiled tube heat exchanger using
1750020-2
Al2O3-water nano°uid by changing the parallel
°ow con¯guration into counter °ow con¯guration
under laminar °ow regime were studied.13 The heat
transfer characteristics of C-Al2O3-water and TiO2-
water nano°uids were measured in a shell and tube
heat exchanger under turbulent °ow condition,
which were experimentally investigated and stated
that adding of nanoparticles to the base °uid causes
signi¯cant development in heat transfer character-
istics.14 An experimental investigation was carried
out to determine the e®ect of various concentrations
of Al2O3nano-dispersion mixed in water as base
°uid on heat transfer characteristics of double pipe
heat exchanger for parallel °ow and counter °ow
arrangement.15,16 The research work on mini heat
exchanger using Al2O3-water-based nano°uid has
been carried out. A lattice Boltzmann model for
single-phase °uids was developed by coupling the
density and temperature distribution functions. A
satisfactory agreement between numerical results
and experimental results were observed.17 The e®ect
of di®erent particle shapes on the overall heat
transfer coe±cient, heat transfer rate, and entropy
generation of shell and tube heat exchanger with
di®erent ba®le angles and segmental ba®le were
studied.18 The thermal conductivity of copper oxide
nano°uids was analyzed using KD2 Pro thermal
property analyzer and concluded that the thermal
conductivity was increased with an increase in
particle loading.19 According to the above literature
survey, a new concept was implemented through an
experimental analysis on the convective heat transfer
and °ow characteristics of a nano°uid passing
through a parallel and counter °ow in shell and tube
heat exchangers under laminar °ow conditions.
2. Experimental Description
The set up was made for an experiment as a com-
bined unit of parallel and counter °ow heat with
shell and tube heat exchangers in which all were
tested at di®erent °ow rates with di®erent tem-
peratures and have been given in Fig. 1. It consists
of two °ow line circuits: hot °uid °ow line and cold
°uid °ow line. The heat exchanges used for this
experimental analysis are parallel to counter °ow
heat exchanger and shell and tube heat exchanger.
The hot °uid °ow and cold °uid °ow are controlled
by °ow meters of 0–120 lph. The hot tank is pro-
vided with a heater and stirrer. The stirrer helps in
maintaining the upper surface temperature and
 Heat Transfer Enhancement Analysis of Al2O3-Water Nano°uid

Fig. 1. Experimental process °ow diagram.

lower surface temperature to be same. Both tanks 2.2. Preparation of the Al2O3-water
are 6 L capacity, each of which ensures the piping nano°uid
networks to have continuous °ow of water. At a
The steady-state nano°uid with uniform particle
time, a single heat exchanger is operated where the
dispersion is required for measuring the thermo-
°ow of other heat exchanger is controlled by means
physical properties of nano°uids. In this investiga-
of control valves. Five numbers of tubes are used in
tion, water is taken as the base °uid and Al2O3 is
shell and tube with inner diameter 4 mm and length
additive particle. Nano°uid is prepared by directly
600 mm. The inner diameter of the shell in shell and
mixing the base liquid and nano powder, which is
tube heat exchanger is 76.2 mm and the length is
thoroughly stirred using ultrasonicator. The pre-
600 mm. In parallel °ow and counter °ow heat ex-
pared nano°uids give poor suspension stability and
changer, the inner diameter of the outer tube is 80
settle down due to gravity, after a few minutes of
mm and the length is 571.5 mm. The inner tube of
nano°uid preparation. The time of particle settle-
parallel and counter °ow heat exchanger has a di-
ment depends on the type of nanoparticles used,
ameter of 21 mm and a length of 571.5 mm. The
density and viscosity properties of the base °uids.
heat exchangers are of the same area and are tested
The maximum capacity of ultrasonication in the
at same °ow rates and same conditions. The copper
machine is 1 L. Thus six times ultrasonication were
type of pipe is used in the experimental setup with
performed to prepare of 6 L of nano°uid. Ultra-
an inner diameter of 6.35 mm.
sonicator process was carried out for 50 min, so that
the nanoparticles are completely dispersed in the
2.1. Materials and sample preparation water and there is no sediment. The weight of the
nanoparticles is calculated, and it is taken accu-
Nano°uid with Al2O3 is mostly chosen for recent
rately by a 0.1 mg weighing machine and then it is
research due to its easy availability and prepara-
ultrasonicated.
tion. The di®erent thermal properties of Al2O3 and
water are given in Table 1.
2.3. Heat exchanger analysis
Table 1. Thermal property of water and Al2O3. The experimental setup was initially checked by
S. No. Property Water Al2 O3 circulating water into the heat exchangers and the
water was used as °uid to exchange the heat. The
1 C (J/kg K) 4178 766 inlet and outlet temperatures of the hot and cold
2
(kg/m 3 Þ 997.12 3970 °uids were measured, and then the overall heat
3 k(W/mK) 0.81 205
transfer coe±cient of water was calculated. After
4  (m 2 /s) 1.46 1318
that, the Al2O3 nano°uid was used as the °uid to

1750020-3
S. Nallusamy & N. Manikanda Prabu

exchange heat. The inlet and outlet temperatures of Table 3. Water and nano°uid results in counter °ow heat
the hot and cold °uids were measured and then the exchanger.
overall heat transfer coe±cient of the prepared Water Al2 O3 -water nano°uid
nano°uid was also measured.
Re U Nu LMTD U Nu LMTD

600 114.848 11.707 10.855 130.127 13.719 12.507

3. Results and Discussion 900 121.106 14.005 11.938 143.508 15.467 13.645
The values of inlet and outlet temperatures of hot 1200 139.407 16.119 13.236 160.105 17.118 15.227
and cold °uids at di®erent mass °ow rates were
measured using our experimental setup. The overall
heat transfer coe±cient (U) was calculated using
Table 4. Water and nano°uid results in shell and tube heat
the following equation: exchanger.
q ¼ UAð
T Þm ;
Water Al2 O3 -water nano°uid
where (
T Þm is the logarithmic mean temperature
di®erence (LMTD) (K); U the overall heat transfer Re U Nu LMTD U Nu LMTD
coe±cient (W/m2K) and q the heat transfer 600 120.209 11.408 11.455 132.105 11.781 12.709
rate (W). 900 131.707 11.519 12.719 146.406 14.727 14.407
The heat transfer rate was calculated using the 1200 141.005 14.176 14.007 165.308 15.718 15.776
following equation:
q ¼ mCp
T or hA
T ;
where
T is the temperature di®erence between hot The U of water and nano°uid with respect to Re
and cold °uids. in counter °ow heat exchanger is shown in Fig. 3.
Similarly, the Nusselt number was calculated The development in heat transfer coe±cient was
using the following correlation: found in counter °ow heat exchanger for the same
volume of concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticles.
0:068 D
L ReD Pr Similarly, the U of water and nano°uid with re-
Nu ¼ 3:66 þ D


:
1 þ 0:04 L ReD Pr 0:67 spect to Re in shell and tube heat exchanger was
calculated and is given in Fig. 4.
The Nusselt number (Nu) and LMTD of water The variations in Nu of water and nano°uid with
and nano°uid were calculated. The results as respect to Re in parallel °ow and counter °ow heat
obtained in parallel °ow heat exchanger, counter exchangers are shown in Figs. 5 and 6, respectively.
°ow heat exchanger, and shell and tube heat It was found that the average increase in Nu of
exchanger are given in Tables 2–4, respectively. nano°uid is about 10% in parallel °ow heat ex-
The U of water and nano°uid with respect to changer and is about 6.5% in counter °ow heat
Reynolds number (Re) obtained in parallel °ow exchanger with same pipe length and diameter.
heat exchanger is shown in Fig. 2. The development
in heat transfer coe±cient was found in parallel °ow
heat exchanger due to a large energy exchange
process, resulting from the chaotic movement of the
nanoparticles.

Table 2. Water and nano°uid results in parallel °ow heat

exchanger.

Water Al2 O3 -water nano°uid

Re U Nu LMTD U Nu LMTD

600 115.157 12.386 10.756 129.615 14.409 12.575

900 124.291 14.571 11.707 144.681 16.008 14.438
1200 140.272 16.146 13.318 163.009 17.807 15.609
Fig. 2. Re versus U in parallel °ow heat exchanger.

1750020-4
 Heat Transfer Enhancement Analysis of Al2O3-Water Nano°uid

Fig. 6. Re versus Nu in counter °ow heat exchanger.

Fig. 3. Re versus U in counter °ow heat exchanger.

Fig. 7. Re versus Nu in shell and tube heat exchanger.

Fig. 4. Re versus U in shell and tube heat exchanger.

Fig. 8. Re versus LMTD in parallel °ow heat exchanger.

Fig. 5. Re versus Nu in parallel °ow heat exchanger.

Similarly, Fig. 7 shows the variation in Nu of water
and nano°uid with respect to Re in shell and tube
heat exchanger, and there is an increase in Nu by
about 10.5%.
The variation in LMTD with respect to Re in
parallel °ow heat exchanger is given in Fig. 8, and it
is found that there is an increase in LMTD of about
15.5%. The variation in LMTD with respect to Re
in counter °ow heat exchanger was also calculated
and presented in Fig. 9. Here also, it was found that

1750020-5
S. Nallusamy & N. Manikanda Prabu

. The overall heat transfer coe±cient increases

when the °ow rate of the nano°uid increases,
which speci¯es the mass °ow rate in°uence.
. It was found that shell and tube exchangers
provide more augmentation in heat transfer co-
e±cient than the parallel and counter °ow heat
exchangers.
. The Nusselt number was also increased in the
Al2O3-water nano°uid, which in turn increases
the convective heat transfer coe±cient.
. Finally, it was concluded that the better heat
transfer rate was obtained through Al2O3-water
nano°uid compared with normal water. Also, the
Fig. 9. Re versus LMTD in counter °ow heat exchanger. shell and tube heat exchangers develop the heat
exchange between the medium when compared
with parallel and counter °ow heat exchangers.
For further research, it is suggested that di®erent
concentrations of nano°uids may be taken for the
experimental analysis.

Acknowledgments
The authors sincerely thank Mr T. G. Balachandran,
Director Administration, Dr. M.G.R. Educational
and Research Institute, Chennai, India for his
support in preparing this paper successfully.

References
Fig. 10. Re versus LMTD in shell and tube heat exchanger.
the LMTD has increased by about 14.5%. Similarly,
about 12.5% increase in the LMTD value was ob-
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same is shown in Fig. 10.
4. Conclusions
An experimental analysis was carried out on a
nano°uid through parallel and counter °ow in shell
and tube heat exchangers with prepared Al2O3
nanoparticles. Based on the observed results, the
following conclusions were drawn.
. The particle concentration outcome and the heat
transfer and °ow performance with the Reynolds
number of the nano°uid were established.
. The thermal conductivity and viscosity of the
nano°uid increased through the scattering of
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