Thermal Enhancement of Plate Heat Exchangers and Nanofluids for Sustainable Waste Heat Recovery

Abstract Thermal enhancement of plate heat exchangers using nanofluids offers a promising approach for efficient and sustainable waste heat recovery. Conventional plate heat exchangers suffer from limited thermal conductivity and efficiency. The challenges with nanofluid stability and high pumping power hinder optimal waste heat recovery. The objective of this study is to enhance the thermal performance of plate heat exchangers using nanofluids for efficient waste heat recovery. This study investigates the thermal enhancement of plate heat exchangers using nanofluids for sustainable waste heat recovery by analysing key components such as experimental setup, fluid selection, nanofluid preparation, performance evaluation, and optimisation. The experimental system circulates nanofluids through a closed-loop plate heat exchanger with real-time monitoring of temperature, flow, and pressure. Water and ethylene glycol are selected as base fluids, with nanoparticles like Al2O3, CuO, and TiO2 enhancing thermal conductivity. Nanofluids are prepared via a two-step method, ensuring stability and good dispersion. Thermal performance is assessed through heat transfer and energy efficiency metrics. Finally, optimal nanoparticle concentration is determined to balance heat transfer benefits with stability and flow properties, supported by techniques like ultrasonication and the Beetle Swarm Optimisation Algorithm. This algorithm, based on varying nanofluid concentrations over several iterations, the result shows that the maximum efficiency of 82.5% was attained at the 30th iteration with a further decrease in concentration to 0.7%. Future research can explore advanced nanomaterials and hybrid nanofluids to further enhance heat transfer efficiency. Integration