Preparation and characterization of ethylene glycol based nanofluids containing iron oxide nanoparticles

In this study, nanofluids containing ethylene glycol and a mixture of pure water and ethylene glycol as base fluid and Fe3O4 nanoparticles as nanoparticles were prepared and the thermal conductivity and viscosity of the nanofluids were measured. The volumetric solid ratios of the nanofluids were determined to be 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%, 0.7%. The nanofluids were prepared by ultrasonic mixing. Thermal conductivity values ranged from 0.263 to 0.298 W/m.K for ethylene glycol-based nanofluids, and from 0.414 to 0.438 W/m.K for water- and ethylene glycol-based nanofluids. Thermal conductivity values, which vary with temperature and solids volume ratio, increase with increasing temperature and solids ratio. Viscosity values were obtained between 16.4 and 17.7 cp for ethylene glycol-based nanofluids and between 3.55 and 4.2 cp for water- and ethylene glycol-based nanofluids. While viscosity values increase with increasing solid ratio, viscosity values decrease with increasing temperature.