Experimental approach to bio-waste nanoparticles suitable for radiator coolant

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to experimentally test the thermo physical properties of the corn cob ash nanofluid as a heat transfer fluid. The experimental procedure involve in preparation of extraction of silica nanoparticles from corn cob ash agro-waste and its performance evaluations. The results obtained from the EDS test shows the dominant constituents of corn cob to be Silica, Oxygen, Aluminium, and Calcium with the highest concentrations of 40.20%, 20.20%, 15.65%, and 10.40% respectively. However, with the use of the chemical synthesis method, silica nanoparticle powder made from corn cob ash was produced (CCA). The generated silica particles ranged in size from 10 to 28 nm, with an average diameter well inside the nanometre range at 18.585 nm. The combination of ‘Water, Coolant and Nanofluid (0.0015% Concentration)’ gives the maximum heat transfer rate, demonstrating that it is the greatest cooling fluid out of the all the coolants that were experimented. Conclusively, this cooling fluid with the highest rate of heat transfer, ‘Water + Coolant + Nanofluid (0.0015% Concentration)’, would increase the performance of the car engine cooling system, thereby resulting in less fuel consumption and making it more economically efficient for general uses.

KEYWORDS:

• Corn cob ash
• nanoparticles
• nanofluid
• coolant
• water
• silica

Abbreviations

EDS	=	Electro dispersive X-ray spectroscopy
FTIR	=	Fourier transform infrared
CCA	=	Corn Cob Ash
CNTs	=	Carbon Nanotubes
PNP	=	Polymer Nanoparticle
NPs	=	Nanoparticles
MNPs	=	Metal Nanoparticles

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.