The investigation of effects of temperature and nanoparticles volume fraction on the viscosity of Copper Oxide-ethylene Glycol Nanofluids

Abstract

In the present article, the effects of temperature and nanoparticles volume fraction on the viscosity of copper oxide-ethylene glycol nanofluid have been investigated experimentally. The experiments have been conducted in volume fractions of 0 to 1.5 % and temperatures from 27.5 to 50 °C. The shear stress computed by experimental values of viscosity and shear rate for volume fraction of 1% and in different temperatures show that this nanofluid has Newtonian behaviour. The experimental results reveal that in a given volume fraction when temperature increases, viscosity decreases, but relative viscosity varies. Also, in a specific temperature, nanofluid viscosity and relative viscosity increase when volume fraction increases. The maximum amount of increase in relative viscosity is 82.46% that occurs in volume fraction of 1.5% and temperature of 50 °C. Some models of computing nanofluid viscosity have been suggested. The greatest difference between the results obtained from these models and experimental results was down of 4 percent that shows that there is a very good agreement between experimental results and the results obtained from these models.