Limits for thermal conductivity of nanofluids

Abstract

Nanofluids have offered challenges to thermal engineers and attracted many researchers over the past decade to determine the reasons for anomalous enhancement of thermal conductivity in them. Experiments on measurement of nanofluid thermal conductivity have ended in a large degree of randomness and scatter in their values. Hence in this paper, lower and upper limits for thermal conductivity of nanofluids are developed. The upper limit is estimated by coupling heat transfer mechanisms like particle shape, Brownian motion and nanolayer while the lower limit is based on Maxwell's equation. Experimental data from a range of independent published sources is used for validation of the developed limits.