A study on the thermal properties of palm oil-based nanofluids by incorporating TiO₂ nanoparticles

This study investigates the impact of TiO₂ nanoparticles (TiO₂-NPs) on the thermal properties of nanofluids at different temperatures and weight fractions. These nanofluids offer high potential for industrial applications due to their improved thermal properties. These nanofluids can be used in industrial cooling applications which can be protect machines from overheating. Palm oil has the potential to prepare a nanofluids as coolants due its less expensive, availability, biodegradability and sustainability. In this study, Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized palm olein (RBD palm olein) was used to prepare the nanofluids using a two-step method. Thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat capacity of base fluid and nanofluids were measured using a multifunctional thermal conductivity meter (Flucon LAMBDA thermal conductivity meter) by ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standard methods. Thermal properties were compared for nanofluids prepared with different weight% (0.01, 0.05, and 0.1 wt.%) of TiO₂-NPs within the temperature range 40 - 160℃ with step size 20. The experimental results proved that addition of TiO₂-NPs to the RBD palm olein enhanced the thermal properties of nanofluids. The maximum enhancement for the thermal conductivity of TiO₂-NPs incorporated nanofluid was observed at 0.05 wt.%. These nanofluids offer environmentally friendly and renewable fluids for industrial cooling applications.



Keywords: TiO₂ nanoparticles, RBD palm olein, nanofluids, thermal properties