Effect of Thermal-Electric Cross Coupling on Heat Transport in Nanofluids

Zhanxiao Kang and Liqiu Wang
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Zhanxiao Kang: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Liqiu Wang: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Nanofluids have an enhanced thermal conductivity compared with their base fluid. Although many mechanisms have been proposed, few of them could give a satisfactory explanation of experimental data. In this study, a mechanism of heat transport enhancement is proposed based on the cross coupling of thermal and electric transports in nanofluids. Nanoparticles are viewed as large molecules which have thermal motion together with the molecules of the base fluid. As the nanoparticles have surface charges, the motion of nanoparticles in the high-temperature region will generate a relatively strong varying electric field through which the motion will be transported to other nanoparticles, leading to a simultaneous temperature rise of low-temperature nanoparticles. The local base fluid will thus be heated up by these nanoparticles through molecular collision. Every nanoparticle could, therefore, be considered as an internal heat source, thereby enhancing the equivalent thermal conductivity significantly. This mechanism qualitatively agrees with many experimental data and is thus of significance in designing and applying nanofluids.

Keywords: nanofluids; heat transport enhancement; thermal motion; electric field; thermal-electric cross coupling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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