Abstract
Two kinds of rectangular mini-channels of different sizes were designed and fabricated for testing the convective heat transfer characteristics of graphene nanofluids. The experimental results show that the average wall temperature decreases with the increases in graphene concentration and Re number at the same heating power. Within the experimental Re number range, the average wall temperature of 0.03% graphene nanofluids in the same rectangular channel decreases by 16% compared with that of water. At the same heating power, the convective heat transfer coefficient increases with the increase in the Re number. The average heat transfer coefficient of water can be increased by 46.7% when the mass concentration of graphene nanofluids is 0.03% and the rib-to-rib ratio is 1:2. In order to better predict the convection heat transfer characteristics of graphene nanofluids in small rectangular channels of different sizes, the convection heat transfer equations applicable to graphene nanofluids of different concentrations in small rectangular channels with different channel rib ratios were fitted, based on factors such as flow Re number, graphene concentration, channel rib ratio, Pr number, and Pe number; the average relative error (MRE) was 8.2%. The mean relative error (MRE) was 8.2%. The equations can thus describe the heat transfer characteristics of graphene nanofluids in rectangular channels with different groove-to-rib ratios.