Nanofluids are potential heat transfer fluids with enhanced thermophysical properties and heat transfer performance can be applied in many devices for better performances (i.e. energy, heat transfer and other performances). In this paper, a comprehensive literature on the applications and challenges of nanofluids have been compiled and reviewed. Latest up to date literatures on the applications and challenges in terms of PhD and Master thesis, journal articles, conference proceedings, reports and web materials have been reviewed and reported. Recent researches have indicated that substitution of conventional coolants by nanofluids appears promising. Specific application of nanofluids in engine cooling, solar water heating, cooling of electronics, cooling of transformer oil, improving diesel generator efficiency, cooling of heat exchanging devices, improving heat transfer efficiency of chillers, domestic refrigerator-freezers, cooling in machining, in nuclear reactor and defense and space have been reviewed and presented. Authors also critically analyzed some of the applications and identified research gaps for further research. Moreover, challenges and future directions of applications of nanofluids have been reviewed and presented in this paper. Based on results available in the literatures, it has been found nanofluids have a much higher and strongly temperature-dependent thermal conductivity at very low particle concentrations than conventional fluids. This can be considered as one of the key parameters for enhanced performances for many of the applications of nanofluids. Because of its superior thermal performances, latest up to date literatures on this property have been summarized and presented in this paper as well. However, few barriers and challenges that have been identified in this review must be addressed carefully before it can be fully implemented in the industrial applications.

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A review on applications and challenges of nanofluids

Phase change materials for thermal energy storage

Nanofluids, the fluid suspensions of nanomaterials, have shown many interesting properties, and the distinctive features offer unprecedented potential for many applications. This paper summarizes the recent progress on the study of nanofluids, such as the preparation methods, the evaluation methods for the stability of nanofluids, and the ways to enhance the stability for nanofluids, the stability mechanisms of nanofluids, and presents the broad range of current and future applications in various fields including energy and mechanical and biomedical fields. At last, the paper identifies the opportunities for future research.

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A review on nanofluids: preparation, stability mechanisms, and applications

A review of nanofluid stability properties and characterization in stationary conditions

Recent developments in phase change materials for energy storage applications: A review

Dispersion behavior and thermal conductivity characteristics of Al2O3–H2O nanofluids

Thermal energy storage behavior of Al2O3–H2O nanofluids

Dispersion and stability of Cu nano-suspensions with dispersant is the important base for the study of rheology and heat transfer enhancement of the suspensions. This paper presented a procedure for preparing a nanofluid which was a suspension consisting of nanophase powders and a base liquids. By means of the procedure, Cu-H2O nanofluids with and without dispersant were prepared, whose sedimentation photographs were given to illustrate the stability and evenness of suspension with dispersant. Dispersion and stability of Cu nanoparticles in water were studied under different pH values and the concentration of hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CATB) dispersant by the method of zeta potential and absorbency. The results show that zeta potential has very corresponding relation with absorbency, and the higher absolute value of zeta potential and absorbency are, the better dispersion and stability in system is. The absolute value of zeta potential is higher at pH 9.5. CATB can significantly increase the absolute value of the zeta potential of the particle surfaces by electrostatic repulsions, which leads to the enhancement of the stability of the Cu suspensions. The optimizing concentration for CATB in the 0.1% copper nano-suspensions is 0.05%, which has the best disperse results.

Hua Li

Papers

Dispersion behavior and thermal conductivity characteristics of Al2O3–H2O nanofluids

Thermal energy storage behavior of Al2O3–H2O nanofluids

Influence of CATB on Stability of Copper Nano-Suspensions