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Experimental and CFD Investigation of Nanofluid-Based Cooling Performance in an Automotive Radiator Under Real
Beytullah Erdoğan1, Güneyhan Taşkaya1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Zonguldak 67100, Turkey.
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 27, 2026
Summary
This study compared nanofluids in car radiators, finding TiO2 nanofluids boosted cooling capacity by 69.1% over water. Nanofluids significantly improve heat transfer in automotive cooling systems.
Area of Science:
- Thermodynamics
- Heat Transfer
- Automotive Engineering
Background:
- Automotive cooling systems are crucial for internal combustion engines.
- Enhancing heat transfer efficiency in radiators is key to engine performance and longevity.
- Nanofluids offer potential for improved thermal performance in cooling applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare the cooling performance of various nanofluids in a real automobile radiator.
- To assess the heat transfer enhancement provided by different nanofluids under realistic operating conditions.
- To validate a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model against experimental data for further analysis.
Main Methods:
- Experimental evaluation of cooling capacities for pure water, ZnO, and ZnO+CuO nanofluids.
- Development and validation of a CFD model based on experimental parameters (70°C inlet temp, 6-10 m/s air velocity, 17-21 L/min flow rate).
- CFD simulations for Al2O3 and TiO2 nanofluids using experimentally determined properties.
Main Results:
- The highest cooling capacity of 20.8 kW was achieved with 0.3% TiO2 nanofluid.
- This represents a 69.1% increase in cooling capacity compared to pure water.
- The CFD model showed a maximum deviation of 6% from experimental results.
Conclusions:
- Nanofluids significantly enhance heat transfer performance in automotive cooling systems.
- TiO2 and Al2O3 nanofluids show superior cooling capabilities compared to ZnO and hybrid nanofluids.
- The validated CFD model can be used for further optimization of nanofluid-based cooling systems.
