Abstract
This study was conducted to establish the pressure distribution of an aluminium oxide/water nanofluid colloidal suspensions. Nanofluids have been seen to be effective mediums for heat and mass transfer, due to their enhanced transport properties. This is useful, currently for trying to find efficient solutions for the reduction of energy demands in the industry. The mechanisms for the enhancements in the transport properties remains a challenge in order to commercialize the use of nanofluids in industry. The pressure distribution of the flow of fluids is thus a tool that has been used to better understand the flow dynamics of fluids and make cost-effective designs for the use of nanofluids. This study was conducted to view how the pressure distribution of nanofluid changes with changes in the flow regimes as well as nanoparticle concentration. The nanofluid was attained using the two-step method in which the nanoparticle was prepared first then dispersed into the base fluid by mechanical action. The resulting nanofluid was then allowed to flow through a particle image velocimetry system and a velocity field obtained. The pressure distribution was then calculated from this velocity field data using the discretization of the Poisson equation. It was found that the velocity of nanofluid decreased with increasing nanoparticle concentration being 0.1% and 0.2% by mass, having average velocities of 1.62 × 10-3 m/s, 1.107 × 10-3 m/s and 8.43 × 10-4 m/s for deionised water and the two concentrations of the nanofluid respectively. Nanofluids exhibit higher pressures than their base fluids at the same fluid flow rates with average pressures of 11.39kPa for deionised water, 27.674kPa for 0.1% nanofluid and 37.134kPa for 0.2% nanofluid. This information can thus be used to establish a unified mechanism for the enhancement of transport properties of nanofluids.
M.Tech. (Chemical Engineering)