IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v14y2021i11p3298-d568957.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Numerical Evaluation of a HVAC System Based on a High-Performance Heat Transfer Fluid

Author

Listed:
  • Gianpiero Colangelo

    (Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, SP per Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Brenda Raho

    (Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, SP per Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Marco Milanese

    (Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, SP per Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Arturo de Risi

    (Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, SP per Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

Abstract

Nanofluids have great potential to improve the heat transfer properties of liquids, as demonstrated by recent studies. This paper presents a novel idea of utilizing nanofluid. It analyzes the performance of a HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) system using a high-performance heat transfer fluid (water-glycol nanofluid with nanoparticles of Al 2 O 3 ), in the university campus of Lecce, Italy. The work describes the dynamic model of the building and its heating and cooling system, realized through the simulation software TRNSYS 17. The use of heat transfer fluid inseminated by nanoparticles in a real HVAC system is an innovative application that is difficult to find in the scientific literature so far. This work focuses on comparing the efficiency of the system working with a traditional water-glycol mixture with the same system that uses Al 2 O 3 -nanofluid. The results obtained by means of the dynamic simulations have confirmed what theoretically assumed, indicating the working conditions of the HVAC system that lead to lower operating costs and higher COP and EER, guaranteeing the optimal conditions of thermo-hygrometric comfort inside the building. Finally, the results showed that the use of a nanofluid based on water-glycol mixture and alumina increases the efficiency about 10% and at the same time reduces the electrical energy consumption of the HVAC system.

Suggested Citation

  • Gianpiero Colangelo & Brenda Raho & Marco Milanese & Arturo de Risi, 2021. "Numerical Evaluation of a HVAC System Based on a High-Performance Heat Transfer Fluid," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-18, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:11:p:3298-:d:568957
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/11/3298/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/11/3298/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dong-Wook Oh, 2020. "Thermal Property Measurement of Nanofluid Droplets with Temperature Gradients," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, January.
    2. Xiao-Hui Sun & Hongbin Yan & Mehrdad Massoudi & Zhi-Hua Chen & Wei-Tao Wu, 2018. "Numerical Simulation of Nanofluid Suspensions in a Geothermal Heat Exchanger," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, April.
    3. Joo Hee Lee & Seong Geon Hwang & Gwi Hyun Lee, 2019. "Efficiency Improvement of a Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) System Using Nanofluids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-16, August.
    4. Jesús Cerezo & Rosenberg J. Romero & Jonathan Ibarra & Antonio Rodríguez & Gisela Montero & Alexis Acuña, 2018. "Dynamic Simulation of an Absorption Cooling System with Different Working Mixtures," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-19, January.
    5. Nur Çobanoğlu & Ziya Haktan Karadeniz, 2020. "Effect of Nanofluid Thermophysical Properties on the Performance Prediction of Single-Phase Natural Circulation Loops," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-23, May.
    6. Lomascolo, Mauro & Colangelo, Gianpiero & Milanese, Marco & de Risi, Arturo, 2015. "Review of heat transfer in nanofluids: Conductive, convective and radiative experimental results," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 1182-1198.
    7. Ruiqing Du & Dandan Jiang & Yong Wang, 2020. "Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Nanoparticle Diameter and Sphericity on the Thermal Performance of Geothermal Heat Exchanger Using Nanofluid as Heat Transfer Fluid," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-18, April.
    8. Patrice Estellé & Leonor Hernández López & Matthias H. Buschmann, 2020. "Special Issue of the 1st International Conference on Nanofluids (ICNf19)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-4, May.
    9. de Risi, A. & Milanese, M. & Laforgia, D., 2013. "Modelling and optimization of transparent parabolic trough collector based on gas-phase nanofluids," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 134-139.
    10. Colangelo, Gianpiero & Favale, Ernani & de Risi, Arturo & Laforgia, Domenico, 2013. "A new solution for reduced sedimentation flat panel solar thermal collector using nanofluids," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 80-93.
    11. Haedr Abdalha Mahmood Alsalame & Joo Hee Lee & Gwi Hyun Lee, 2021. "Performance Evaluation of a Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) System Using Nanofluids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-12, January.
    12. Kulkarni, Devdatta P. & Das, Debendra K. & Vajjha, Ravikanth S., 2009. "Application of nanofluids in heating buildings and reducing pollution," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(12), pages 2566-2573, December.
    13. Zakula, Tea & Bagaric, Marina & Ferdelji, Nenad & Milovanovic, Bojan & Mudrinic, Sasa & Ritosa, Katia, 2019. "Comparison of dynamic simulations and the ISO 52016 standard for the assessment of building energy performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    14. Colangelo, Gianpiero & Favale, Ernani & Miglietta, Paola & Milanese, Marco & de Risi, Arturo, 2016. "Thermal conductivity, viscosity and stability of Al2O3-diathermic oil nanofluids for solar energy systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 124-136.
    15. Colangelo, Gianpiero & Favale, Ernani & Miglietta, Paola & de Risi, Arturo, 2016. "Innovation in flat solar thermal collectors: A review of the last ten years experimental results," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 1141-1159.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Domenico Palladino & Flavio Scrucca & Nicolandrea Calabrese & Grazia Barberio & Carlo Ingrao, 2021. "Durum-Wheat Straw Bales for Thermal Insulation of Buildings: Findings from a Comparative Energy Analysis of a Set of Wall-Composition Samples on the Building Scale," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-19, September.
    2. Marco Milanese & Francesco Micali & Gianpiero Colangelo & Arturo de Risi, 2022. "Experimental Evaluation of a Full-Scale HVAC System Working with Nanofluid," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-14, April.
    3. Raho, Brenda & Giangreco, Marcello & Colangelo, Gianpiero & Milanese, Marco & de Risi, Arturo, 2025. "Technological, economic, and emission analysis of the oxy-combustion process," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 378(PA).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Marco Milanese & Francesco Micali & Gianpiero Colangelo & Arturo de Risi, 2022. "Experimental Evaluation of a Full-Scale HVAC System Working with Nanofluid," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-14, April.
    2. Milanese, Marco & Colangelo, Gianpiero & Laforgia, Domenico & de Risi, Arturo, 2017. "Multi-parameter optimization of double-loop fluidized bed solar reactor for thermochemical fuel production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 919-932.
    3. M. M. Sarafraz & Alireza Dareh Baghi & Mohammad Reza Safaei & Arturo S. Leon & R. Ghomashchi & Marjan Goodarzi & Cheng-Xian Lin, 2019. "Assessment of Iron Oxide (III)–Therminol 66 Nanofluid as a Novel Working Fluid in a Convective Radiator Heating System for Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-13, November.
    4. Colangelo, Gianpiero & Favale, Ernani & Miglietta, Paola & de Risi, Arturo & Milanese, Marco & Laforgia, Domenico, 2015. "Experimental test of an innovative high concentration nanofluid solar collector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 874-881.
    5. Behera, Uma Sankar & Sangwai, Jitendra S. & Byun, Hun-Soo, 2025. "A comprehensive review on the recent advances in applications of nanofluids for effective utilization of renewable energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    6. Hossain, Farzad & Karim, Md. Rezwanul & Bhuiyan, Arafat A., 2022. "A review on recent advancements of the usage of nano fluid in hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 114-131.
    7. Wei-Tao Wu & Mehrdad Massoudi & Hongbin Yan, 2017. "Heat Transfer and Flow of Nanofluids in a Y-Type Intersection Channel with Multiple Pulsations: A Numerical Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-18, April.
    8. Tembhare, Saurabh P. & Barai, Divya P. & Bhanvase, Bharat A., 2022. "Performance evaluation of nanofluids in solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    9. Pisarevsky, M.I. & Struchalin, P.G. & Balakin, B.V. & Kutsenko, K.V. & Maslov, Y.A., 2024. "Experimental study of nanofluid heat transfer for geothermal applications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    10. Bianco, Vincenzo & Scarpa, Federico & Tagliafico, Luca A., 2018. "Numerical analysis of the Al2O3-water nanofluid forced laminar convection in an asymmetric heated channel for application in flat plate PV/T collector," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(PA), pages 9-21.
    11. Hossein Javadi & Javier F. Urchueguia & Seyed Soheil Mousavi Ajarostaghi & Borja Badenes, 2021. "Impact of Employing Hybrid Nanofluids as Heat Carrier Fluid on the Thermal Performance of a Borehole Heat Exchanger," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-26, May.
    12. Bahria, Sofiane & Amirat, Madjid & Hamidat, Abderrahmen & El Ganaoui, Mohammed & El Amine Slimani, Mohamed, 2016. "Parametric study of solar heating and cooling systems in different climates of Algeria – A comparison between conventional and high-energy-performance buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 521-535.
    13. Hussien, Ahmed A. & Abdullah, Mohd Z. & Al-Nimr, Moh’d A., 2016. "Single-phase heat transfer enhancement in micro/minichannels using nanofluids: Theory and applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 733-755.
    14. Elsheikh, A.H. & Sharshir, S.W. & Mostafa, Mohamed E. & Essa, F.A. & Ahmed Ali, Mohamed Kamal, 2018. "Applications of nanofluids in solar energy: A review of recent advances," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 3483-3502.
    15. Ambreen, Tehmina & Kim, Man-Hoe, 2018. "Heat transfer and pressure drop correlations of nanofluids: A state of art review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 564-583.
    16. Yubai Li & Hongbin Yan & Mehrdad Massoudi & Wei-Tao Wu, 2017. "Effects of Anisotropic Thermal Conductivity and Lorentz Force on the Flow and Heat Transfer of a Ferro-Nanofluid in a Magnetic Field," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-19, July.
    17. Soltani, M. & Moradi Kashkooli, Farshad & Alian Fini, Mehdi & Gharapetian, Derrick & Nathwani, Jatin & Dusseault, Maurice B., 2022. "A review of nanotechnology fluid applications in geothermal energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    18. Iacobazzi, Fabrizio & Milanese, Marco & Colangelo, Gianpiero & Lomascolo, Mauro & de Risi, Arturo, 2016. "An explanation of the Al2O3 nanofluid thermal conductivity based on the phonon theory of liquid," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(P1), pages 786-794.
    19. Bhalla, Vishal & Tyagi, Himanshu, 2018. "Parameters influencing the performance of nanoparticles-laden fluid-based solar thermal collectors: A review on optical properties," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 12-42.
    20. Abdelazim Abbas Ahmed & Mohsen Assadi & Adib Kalantar & Tomasz Sliwa & Aneta Sapińska-Śliwa, 2022. "A Critical Review on the Use of Shallow Geothermal Energy Systems for Heating and Cooling Purposes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-22, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:11:p:3298-:d:568957. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.