Experimental Investigation of Effect of Nanofluid Stability on Thermal Performance and Flow Regimes in Pulsating Heat Pipe

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Akbari, Ali | 2017

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Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
Language: Farsi
Document No: 50908 (08)
University: Sharif University of Technology
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Advisor(s): Saeedi, Mohammad Hassan
Abstract:
Pulsating heat pipe (PHP) is a type of wickless heat pipe that has a simple structure and an outstanding thermal performance. Nanofluid is a type of fluifid in which nanoparticles are dispersed in a base fluid and has a better thermal conductivity in comparison with its base fluid. In this article, the performance of a nanofluid PHP is investigated. In order to simultaneously investigate the thermal performance and flow regimes in the PHP, a one-turn copper PHP with a Pyrex glass attached to its adiabatic section was used. A one-turn Pyrex PHP was also used to fully visualize flow patterns in the PHP. Our results showed that the material that a PHP made of and temperature of working fluid are the most important parameters that affect the stability of a nanofluid in the PHP. Also, thermal performance of the PHP using a stable nanofluid is better than the case with water and, on the other hand, an unstable nanofluid can deteriorate thermal performance. In the case of flow regimes, no significant differences were observed between the nanofluid PHP and the water PHP. These results can help researchers to choose the best working fluid for PHPs
Keywords:
Flow Visualization ; Nanofluid ; Pulsating Heat Pipe ; Stability

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