Work

Computational Analysis in Laminar Flow of Several Nanocolloids with PEG 200 and MgO/MWCNTs Nanoparticles

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study presents a numerical investigation of the laminar forced convection of polyethylene glycol-based nanocolloids within a horizontal pipe. To bridge the gap between theoretical predictions and practical performance, simulations were conducted over a Reynolds number range of 500 to 2000, utilizing a model validated against laboratory-scale experimental data and well-defined boundary conditions. Our analysis focuses on the thermal behavior of polyethylene glycol 200 enriched with metal oxide nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, which were selected for their capacity to enhance thermal conductivity while maintaining manageable viscosity. The results demonstrate that PEG 200-based nanocolloids significantly improve heat transfer performance in the laminar regime. This enhancement is attributed to the superior intrinsic thermal properties of the nanoparticles and the complex synergistic interactions-such as Brownian motion and thermophoresis-between the particles and the PEG base fluid. A critical evaluation of the standard approach of incorporating thermophysical properties into the numerical approach led to significant discrepancies in flow predictions. Additionally, our study establishes that assuming constant thermophysical properties during the heating process introduces simulation errors exceeding 10%. These findings underscore the necessity of incorporating temperature-dependent, experimentally validated data into numerical models to ensure predictive accuracy. Ultimately, this work advocates for a nuanced approach to nanocolloid design that prioritizes the specific chemical and rheological compatibility between nanoparticle types and the base fluid.

Source: Materials

DOI: 10.3390/ma19081617

Authors: Alina Adriana Minea, Catalin Andrei Tugui, George Catalin Tofan, Elena Ionela Chereches

Institution: Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași

Language: English

Topic: Nanofluid Flow and Heat Transfer

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137

Funder: Unitatea Executiva pentru Finantarea Invatamantului Superior, a Cercetarii, Dezvoltarii si Inovarii