Numerical Study of Influence of Nanofluids on the Optimization of Heat Transfer in Immersion Cooling Systems

Abstract

The present study evaluates the heat transfer performance of an immersion liquid cooling system, utilizing copper-water (Cu-water) nanofluids under various flow and geometric conditions, including different Reynolds and Rayleigh numbers, nanoparticle volume fractions, and block spacing configurations. To this end, numerical simulations were conducted to assess the impact of these parameters on the system’s temperature distribution and overall cooling efficiency. The findings indicate that augmenting the Reynolds number from 100 to 500, and the nanoparticle volume fraction from 0% to 5%, at a Rayleigh number of 105, results in substantial enhancements in heat transfer, with improvements reaching up to 193.8%. Furthermore, an increase in the Rayleigh number from 103 to 106, in conjunction with elevated nanoparticle concentrations at a Reynolds number of 500, yielded a heat transfer enhancement of up to 36.3%. These findings demonstrate that higher Reynolds and Rayleigh numbers promote better heat dissipation through increased convective flow and buoyancy-driven convection. Furthermore, the study underscores the pivotal function of block spacing in maximizing cooling efficacy. While closer spacing results in higher temperatures, wider spacing improves heat transfer efficiency by reducing thermal interference between blocks. The study emphasizes the synergistic effect of an enhanced thermal conductivity, strong convective flow, and optimal geometric configurations in maximizing cooling efficiency. These findings are of crucial importance for the design of more efficient thermal management systems, with applications in electronics cooling, energy systems, and industrial processes.