Computational Study of Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of EG-Si3N4 Nanofluid in Laminar Flow in a Pipe in Forced Convection Regime

Laminar flow of ethylene glycol-based silicon nitride (EG-Si3N4) nanofluid in a smooth horizontal pipe subjected to forced heat convection with constant wall heat flux is computationally modeled and analyzed. Heat transfer is evaluated in terms of Nusselt number (Nu) and heat transfer coefficient for various volume fractions of Si3N4 nanoparticles in the base fluid and different laminar flow rates. The thermophysical properties of the EG-Si3N4 nanofluid are taken from a recently published experimental study. Computational modelling and simulation are performed using open-source software utilizing finite volume numerical methodology. The nanofluid exhibits non-Newtonian rheology and it is modelled as a homogeneous single-phase mixture, the properties of which are determined by the nanoparticle volume fraction. The existing features of the software to simulate single-phase flow are extended by implementing the energy transport coupled to the fluid flow and the interaction of the fluid flow with the surrounding pipe wall via the applied wall heat flux. In addition, the functional dependencies of the thermophysical properties of the nanofluid on the volume fraction of nanoparticles are implemented in the software, while the non-Newtonian rheological behavior of the nanofluid under consideration is also taken into account. The obtained results from the numerical simulations show very good predicting capabilities of the implemented computational model for the laminar flow coupled to the forced convection heat transfer. Moreover, the analysis of the computational results for the nanofluid reflects the increase of heat transfer of the EG-Si3N4 nanofluid in comparison to the EG for all the considered nanoparticle volume fractions and flow rates, indicating promising features of this nanofluid in heat transfer applications.