Abstract:
This study investigates the thermal performance and efficiency of a three-chambered parallel plate heat exchanger enhanced with an innovative cold tri-hybrid nanofluid. This advanced nanofluid comprises graphene (G), silver (Ag), and gold (Au) nanoparticles suspended in a 50:50 mixture of distilled water (DW) and ethylene glycol (EG). The tri-hybrid nanofluid is employed in the heat exchanger's top and bottom channels, while hot oil flows through the middle channel. Using a numerical approach, the finite element method (FEM) with ten-nodded tetrahedral elements is utilized to solve the governing equations and simulate the heat exchanger’s thermal behavior under various operating conditions. The simulation results are depicted through detailed plots illustrating surface velocity, surface temperature, streamlines, isotherm lines, and surface pressure. These visualizations demonstrate the dynamic changes in temperature and velocity distributions along the counter-flow heat exchanger. In addition to visual analysis, the study evaluates critical performance metrics, including the efficacy of heat transfer, the rate of heat transfer relative to pumping power, and the overall performance index of the heat exchanger. These assessments offer valuable insights into the potential benefits of employing tri-hybrid nanofluids in heat exchanger systems, emphasizing enhanced thermal efficiency and energy performance. The optimized Nusselt number (Nu) shows an improvement of approximately 70% as the Reynolds number (Re) increases from 0 to 50 and 13% as the nanoparticle volume fraction φ rises from 0 to 0.03, indicating enhanced thermal conductivity and heat transfer efficiency with higher nanoparticle concentration. The total pressure drop increases by about 0.76% at φ = 0.01, Re varies from 0 to 50, indicating a balance between heat transfer and pressure drop. Additionally, the present study demonstrates up to a 20% higher performance index at lower Re values compared to Hasan et al. [7], highlighting the effectiveness of the tri-hybrid nanofluid in enhancing heat exchanger performance. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of the application of advanced nanofluids in industrial heat transfer systems. By exploring the unique properties and advantages of tri-hybrid nanofluids, this research aims to inform future design and optimization of heat exchangers, ultimately supporting advancements in energy-efficient technologies and industrial processes.