Experimental Analysis of Heat Transfer Enhancement in Automotive Radiators Using H₂O-Ag Nanofluids

Authors

  • Seyed Mahmood Kia * Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
  • Zahra Khodabandeh Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
  • Mahmood Mortazavi Yousefabad Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
  • Samira Mohammadi Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
  • Ali Jahangiri Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22105/jeee.v2i2.35

Abstract

This study investigates water-silver nanofluid as a high-performance coolant for automobile radiators to improve heat transfer performance. The radiators are one of the most vital parts of an engine cooling system because the engine performance must be maintained by rejecting heat to the environment. To improve the heat transfer performance, silver nanoparticles (5–8 nm) dispersed in water at a concentration of 4000 ppm was used instead of the conventional coolant fluids. Experiments were carried out at different flow rates (0.04–0.38 L/s) and inlet temperatures to establish the thermal behavior and performance of this nanofluid. The result is an enhancement of 13% in heat transfer coefficient compared to base fluid, and enhancements were found to correlate positively with increases in flow rates and inlet temperatures. This enhancement is attributed to the improved thermal conductivity of the nanofluid and its action in breaking the thermal boundary layer, hence, enabling the increase in convective heat transfer. These results show the tremendous potential for the water-silver nanofluids to be an eco-friendly, energy-saving alternative in automotive cooling systems. The present paper is one addition to a growing number of works dealing with nanofluid applications in thermal management and provides information on their feasibility and benefits. Future work should concentrate on the optimization of nanoparticle concentrations to ensure long-term stability and address economic factors in order to promote the adoption of nanofluids in commercial and industrial systems.     

Keywords:

Nanofluid, Heat transfer coefficient, Radiator, Flow rate

References

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Published

2025-06-01

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 2 (2025): Journal of Environmental Engineering and Energy

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Kia, S. M., Khodabandeh, Z., Mortazavi Yousefabad, M., Mohammadi, S., & Jahangiri, A. (2025). Experimental Analysis of Heat Transfer Enhancement in Automotive Radiators Using H₂O-Ag Nanofluids. Journal of Environmental Engineering and Energy, 2(2), 76-83. https://doi.org/10.22105/jeee.v2i2.35

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