Paper MN-FrM7
Investigation of Heat Transfer Enhancement in Nanofluids with Molecular Dynamics Simulations – Role of Particle Charge and Fluid Polarity

Friday, November 4, 2011, 10:20 am, Room 105

higher power density engines, and restricted air flow from up-armor kits. Conventional methods

to increase heat dissipation, such as increasing heat exchanger size produce an undesired

increase in vehicle weight and packaging issues. One approach to mitigate these issues is the

development of heat transfer fluids with improved thermal transport properties. Nanofluids are

suspension of nanometer sized particles in solvent, and represent a potential method to increase

the effective fluid thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficient of coolants without creating

the adverse effects found in larger particle suspensions, such as settling, clogging, and abrasion.

Since their introduction by U.S. Choi in 1995, a great deal of uncertainty about the mechanisms

of enhanced thermal conductivity of nanofluids continues to employ researchers and limits

the development of optimized nanofluids in heat transfer applications. In this paper,molecular

dynamics simulations are used to investigate heat conduction between model particle surfaces

separated by a liquid layer. In particular, effects of base fluid charge, polarity, and nanoparticle

surface charge on the solid-liquid interface liquid structure, thermal (i.e. Kapitza) resistance, and

thermal conductivity are investigated. Results are compared with previous simulations from the

literature which used simple monoatomic models interacting through Lennard-Jones potentials.