What is it about?

In industrial applications, common coolant fluids used were oils, water, and ethylene glycol. These fluids have very low thermal conductivity and stability. In recent years, nanoparticles are mixed in these coolants (oils, water, and ethylene glycol) to form nanofluids. If the flow speed of a nanofluid will be controlled or directed by external magnetic fields, the magnetic nanofluid will stay at the same hot point for some time. This will cause fluid properties such as density, thermal conductivity, diffusion coefficient, and fluid viscosity to vary with respect to temperature. Consequently, for higher variations it might cause variations in the cooling processes. This paper presents research findings on the effect of variation of then nanofluid properties with respect to temperature and concentration.

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Why is it important?

The presence of nanoparticles in coolant fluids has significant effects on the physical properties of the fluid and causes a major increase in the heat transfer. The presence of magnetic nanoparticles in the coolant fluids makes the nanofluids to be electrically conducting fluids whose flow behaviour over a stretching surface has considerable practical applications in electrochemistry, chemical engineering, geophysics, astrophysics, and polymer processing because it absorbs energy and it can be controlled and directed by using external magnetic fields. This results in slowing the rate of solidification of the cooled material and improving its mechanical properties. There are many applications in industries among which are polymer industries, aerodynamic extrusion of plastic sheets, glass-fiber production, condensation process of a metallic plate in a cooling bath, and glass.

Perspectives

Nanofluids like nano materials in general are making a big impact on industrial development at an unprecedented speed. I am proud to be part of that development.

Verdiana Grace MASANJA
Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Unsteady MHD Flow of Nanofluid with Variable Properties over a Stretching Sheet in the Presence of Thermal Radiation and Chemical Reaction, International Journal of Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences, May 2019, Hindawi Publishing Corporation,
DOI: 10.1155/2019/7392459.
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