Enhancement of Heat Transfer on a Mini Channel Cold Plate by Utilizing Nanofluids Across Various Reynolds Number Variants

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the thermohydraulic performance of an aluminum mini-channel cold plate (MCCP) using Al₂O₃+EG/W nanofluids at various Reynolds numbers. The investigation focuses on the impact of Reynolds numbers, ranging from 953 to 1588 in laminar flow, on heat transfer enhancement and surface temperature reduction. The results clearly correlate higher Reynolds numbers and lower surface temperatures. The greatest wall temperature reduction of 12.53% was achieved using nanofluid at a Reynolds number of 1588. Heat transfer rates also increased with Reynolds numbers, from 45.93 W at Re = 953 to 67.60 W at Re = 1588. Furthermore, the pressure drop rose with increasing Reynolds numbers, recorded at 33 kPa, 40 kPa, and 51 kPa for Reynolds numbers 953, 1270, and 1588, respectively. The MCCP design in this study was specifically adapted for an electric vehicle battery with a capacity of 3.2 V and 80 Ah (dimensions: 200 mm x 130 mm), making these findings particularly relevant for battery cooling systems, especially in laminar flow applications using nanofluids.