Alumina Nanofluid for Spray Cooling Enhancement

Nanofluids have been demonstrated as promising for heat transfer enhancement in forced convection and boiling applications. The addition of carbon, copper, and other high-thermal-conductivity nanoparticles to water, oil, ethylene glycol, and other fluids has been determined to increase the thermal conductivities of these fluids. The increased effective thermal conductivities of these fluids enhance their abilities to dissipate heat in such applications. The use of nanofluids for spray cooling is an extension of the application of nanofluids for enhancement of heat dissipation. In this investigation, experiments were performed to determine the level of heat transfer enhancement with the addition of alumina nanoparticles to the fluid. Using mass percentages of up to 0.5% alumina nanoparticles suspended in water, heat fluxes and surface temperatures were measured and compared. Compressed nitrogen was used to provide constant spray nozzle pressures to produce full-cone sprays in an open loop spray cooling system. Heat fluxes were measured for single-phase and evaporative spray cooling regimes.