Abstract
Effective thermal management in miniaturized electronics necessitates advanced coolants. This computational study systematically evaluates the thermo-hydraulic characteristics of a Graphene Nanoplatelet-Silicon Carbide (GNP+SiC) hybrid nanofluid dispersed in propylene glycol (PG), a less-toxic base fluid with potential for high-temperature applications. The investigation focuses on fluid flow within a microchannel incorporating triangular oblique elements designed for enhanced convective heat transfer. A validated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was employed to analyze the impacts of total nanoparticle concentration (0-1.5 vol%, 1:1 GNP:SiC ratio), GNP:SiC mixing proportions (at 1.0 vol% total), Silicon Carbide (SiC) nanoparticle diameter (spherical, 10-90 nm), and SiC particle morphology (aspect ratio variations) on friction factor, Nusselt number (Nu), and Thermal Performance Factor (TPF) across flow rates of 1–5 l/min. Key findings indicate that increased total nanoparticle loading augmented both heat transfer (Nu up to ~104%) and frictional losses (up to ~11%), yet yielded substantial TPF improvements (up to 97%). Higher GNP content amplified thermal enhancement (Nu up to ~99%) but also increased friction, whereas greater SiC proportions mitigated frictional penalties. Smaller spherical SiC particles and higher aspect ratio SiC particles both led to increased Nu (up to ~86% and ~92.55% enhancement, respectively), though the latter also incurred higher friction (up to ~8.26% increase). This research offers novel insights into tailoring GNP+SiC/PG hybrid nanofluid properties, providing critical data for optimizing thermal performance against hydrodynamic constraints in specialized cooling applications.
Keywords: Advanced Cooling, Oblique Microchannel, CFD, GNP+SiC/PG, Non-Aqueous Hybrid Nanofluid.