Table 1

Systems engineering approach to nanofluid design.

ENGINEERING PARAMETERS

Nanoparticle material

Nanoparticle concentration

Nanoparticle shape

Nanoparticle size

Base fluid

Zeta potential/fluid pH

Kapitza resistance

Additives

Temperature

NANOFLUID PROPERTIES

Stability

⇑

▲

▲

▲

■↓

○

■

x

■

?

Density

⇑

■

■↑

x

x

■

x

x

x

x

Specific Heat

⇑

■

■↓

x

x

■

x

x

x

▲

Thermal Conductivity

⇑

○

■↑

○

■↑

▲

○

■↓

▲

○

Viscosity

⇓

▲

■↓

■

■↓

■↑

■

x

○

■

Heat Transfer Coefficient

⇑

■

■↑*

■

■↑

■

■

■↓

○

■

Pumping Power Penalty

⇓

x

■

■

■↑

■

■

x

○

■

Relative Importance

4.0

6.25

3.75

5.0

5.25

4.0

2.0

2.75

3.75

Symbols:

■- strong dependence; ○- medium dependence; ▲- weak dependence; x - no dependence; ? - unknown or varies from system to system; ⇑ - larger the better;⇓ - smaller the better; ↑- increase with increase in parameter; ↓- decrease with increase in parameter; *-within the linear property increase.

Timofeeva et al. Nanoscale Research Letters 2011 6:182   doi:10.1186/1556-276X-6-182