Skip to Main Content
Skip Nav Destination

Thermal transport in energy systems utilized for various applications, such as thermal plants, electronics, nuclear reactors, automobile engines, heat exchangers, aviation, space exploration, agriculture and so on, through the aid of working fluids is critical to the efficient and effective operation of the systems.1  Because the existing working fluids have low thermal conductivity and technological advancement demands an increasing need to quickly and effectively remove a huge quantum of heat, the use of orthodox working fluids such as water, ethylene glycol, transformer oil, thermal oil, etc., is proving to be impracticable.2  To address this challenge, passive and active heat enhancing techniques (miniaturization, surface modification, and surface extension) have been deployed, which over time have reached their thresholds.1,2  Nanotechnology has afforded the re-engineering of existing orthodox working fluids to high-performing and energy-efficient fluids through the suspension of nano-sized materials (metals, metal oxides, ceramics, polymers, non-metals, etc.). Since solid metals have a higher thermal conductivity than orthodox working fluids, the suspension of metal particles in working fluids was conceptualized by Maxwell in 1873, then Ahuja in 1975, Akoh in 1978, and finally by Masuda in 1993.3,4  Prior to the work of Masuda et al.,3  milli-scale particles were used that led to erroneous results due to the sedimentation and clogging of particles. Thus, nanoscale particles were used by Masuda et al., which birthed nanofluids (NFs), a term coined by Choi.

You do not currently have access to this chapter, but see below options to check access via your institution or sign in to purchase.
Don't already have an account? Register
Close Modal

or Create an Account

Close Modal
Close Modal