Nanorefrigerant effects in heat transfer performance and energy consumption reduction: A review

Abstract

The heat transfer performance and energy consumption of various thermal devices may be augmented by active and passive techniques. One of the passive techniques is the addition of nanoparticles to the common heat transfer fluids so that the thermal transport properties of the prepared suspension (called nanofluid) will be enhanced as compared to the base fluid. Nanorefrigerants are a special type of nanofluids which are mixtures of nanoparticles and refrigerants and have a broad range of applications in diverse fields for instance refrigeration systems, air conditioning systems, and heat exchangers. This review is performed in order to clarify the effect of nanorefrigerant properties on heat transfer and pressure drop compared to pure refrigerant. Moreover, studies related to the thermophysical properties, and applications of nanorefrigerants to some specific areas such as domestic refrigerators, heat pipes and air conditioners are also summarized.