Pool boiling heat transfer characteristics of ZrO₂-water nanofluids from a flat surface in a pool

Abstract

Nucleate pool boiling of ZrO₂ based aqueous nanofluid has been studied. Though enhancement in nucleate boiling heat transfer has been observed at low volume fraction of solid dispersion, the rate of heat transfer falls with the increase in solid concentration and eventually becomes inferior even to pure water. While surfactants increase the rate of heat transfer, addition of surfactant to the nanofluid shows a drastic deterioration in nucleate boiling heat transfer. Further, the boiling of nanofluid renders the heating surface smoother. Repeated runs of experiments with the same surface give a continuous decrease in the rate of boiling heat transfer.