Development of Drag-Reducing DRnanofluids
with Enhanced Flow and Heat-Transfer Properties and
Investigation of Their Thermo-Physical, Flow and Heat-Transfer Characteristics
M. Kostic
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Illinois University
www.kostic.niu.edu/DRnanofluids
Abstract: A collaborative research between Northern Illinois University and Argonne National Laboratory to create and investigate new advanced Drag-Reduction-nanofluids (dubbed DRnanofluids) with an objective to enhance heat-transfer properties and reduce flow friction has been initiated in Summer 2004. Considering unique properties of Drag-Reduction fluids and very promising results with nanofluids obtained in ANL, new potentials and possibly new discoveries are anticipated.
Developing nanofluids with polymer additives (dubbed POLYnanofluids) may have many application possibilities, not only flow-friction reduction, since long-chain polymer molecules may provide an enhanced web-like structure for nanoparticles in base fluids. Thus, DRnanofluids will be a special sub-class of POLYnanofluids. Possible applications in novel fluid/thermal systems, including electronics, nuclear and biomedical instrumentation and equipments, transportation and industrial cooling, and heat management in various critical applications, are promising.
A thesis for a graduate student will be defined to develop POLYnanofluids (including DRnanofluids) by mixing different concentrations of different polymer additives and different nanoparticles in different base fluids, using different preparation methods (to be developed and optimized):
· Additional additives may and should be used to facilitate development of POLYnanofluids, like surfactant, pH enhancers (or neutralizers), or similar.
· Different mixing methods under different process parameters should be used and/or developed to facilitate and enhance optimal structural development of POLYnanofluids, with desired thermo-physical properties, and flow and heat-transfer characteristics.
Viscosity of base fluids, nanofluids (base fluids with nanoparticles), polymer-solutions (base fluids with polymer additives), and POLYnanofluids (base fluids with polymer additives and nanoparticles), will be measured at NIU and thermal conductivity at ANL. Additional proposals for external funding for investigation of thermo-physical properties, and flow and heat-transfer characteristics will be developed.
This research may open the road for development of diverse, complex nanofluids with polymer additives, dubbed POLY-nanofluids, with unprecedented application potential. By studying (and understanding) nanofluids in the lab and nature, using new and available experimental techniques, and by developing computer based models of these fluids and related phenomena, new methods and tools for custom-design of nanofluids with enhanced properties may be developed.
Selected Activities of Prof. Kostic's Nanofluid Research Group (more at www.kostic.niu.edu/DRnanofluids):
► Kostic, M and Simham, K.C., Computerized, Transient Hot-Wire Thermal Conductivity Apparatus for Nanofluids-Best HMT09 Conference Paper, Proceedings of the 6th WSEAS International Conference on HEAT and MASS TRANSFER (HMT'09), Ningbo, China, January 10-12, 2009. In RECENT ADVANCES in HEAT and MASS TRANSFER (Editor: Lifeng Xi), ISBN: 978-960-474-039-0; ISSN: 1790-5095, p. 71-78, WSEAS Press. 2009. (Also, Plenary Lecture: Heat Transfer, Thermal Energy and Entropy - Demystified )
A new and improved HWTC apparatus for thermal conductivity measurements of (nano)fluids has been recently developed. It employs innovative solutions for easy calibration of uniform Platinum wire tension and thus minimizing the strain influence on temperature measurement (i.e., minimizing the well-known and unwanted “strain-gage effect” on Pt-wire electrical resistivity); measurement of Pt-wire voltage drop independently from power wiring (four wires); and an effective off-centered mechanical design to minimize the fluid sample size (about 30 mL), but at the same time providing additional space for wiring (including three inside thermocouples for fluid temperature uniformity verification). Data acquisition hardware and software are optimized to minimize signal noise and enhance gethering and processing of useful data.
► Prof. Kostic has been awarded a NSF research grant (CBET-0741078 Thermal Transport & Thermal Processing) for "Exploring New Hybrid Polymer-Nanofluids with Enhanced Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics," in 2007/2008.
►
Kostic, M., M. Golubovic, J.R. Hull and S.U.S.
Choi,
ONE-STEP METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
NANOFLUIDS, ANL invention S-105,821.
US Patent Number:
US 7,718,033 B1,
(PDF),
Publication Date 18 May 2010.
►
Kostic, M., M. Golubovic, J.R. Hull and S.U.S.
Choi,
One-Step Method
for the Production of Nanofluids, ANL invention
S-122,261,
U.S. Patent-Divisional Application No.12/729,494
filed by U.S. Department of Energy
(Brian John Lally/Katherine Baldwin, Patent Attorney) on
3/23/2010.
Additional Claims to the above.
► Kostic, M., “Critical Issues and Application Potentials in Nanofluids Research,” ASME-MN2006 Multifunctional Nanocomposites 2006 International Conference, September 20-22, 2006, Honolulu, Hawaii, ASME Proceedings, New York, 2006. (PPT & Photos or Seminar)
► Kostic, M., Effective Thermal Conductivity Errors by Assuming Unidirectional Temperature and Heat Flux Distribution Within Heterogeneous Mixtures (Nanofluids), (*) HMT'08-The5th WSEAS International Conference on HEAT and MASS TRANSFER, ID: 573-354, Acapulco, Mexico, January 25-27, 2008. Abstract: It is common practice to approximate temperature distribution and heat flux as unidirectional for heterogeneous mixtures if exposed to “over-all unidirectional” boundary conditions. This approach has been used to model and to arrive at the effective (or over-all average) thermal conductivity of heterogeneous mixtures (nanofluids). It is shown here, however, that due to the heterogeneity of system structure and properties the temperature distribution and heat flow will not be unidirectional (one-dimensional) and the errors due to such unrealistic (physically impossible) approximation may be much higher than anticipated.
►Nanofluid
Flow-and-Heat-Transfer Apparatus *
►NIU-MK Nanofluids Activities and Future Plans
