Ethylene- and Propylene-Glycol Based Nanofluids: A Litterature Review on Their Thermophysical Properties and Thermal Performances

Nanofluids are considered a promising way to improve the heat transfer capability of base fluids. Water is the most commonly-used heat transfer fluid. However, in refrigeration systems, it may be necessary to mix water with either ethylene- or propylene-glycol to lower its freezing point and prevent from ice formation. In the same way, for car radiators or industrial heat exchangers, the boiling point of water can be pushed up by mixing it with glycol-based fluids. The increasing awareness of energy saving and industrial energy efficiency improvement results in the growing interest in ethylene- or propylene-glycol-based nanofluids for applications in various thermal systems. The present paper proposes an extensive review of the most recent and relevant experimental and numerical works on the thermophysical properties and performances of ethylene- or propylene-glycol-based nanofluids. Research perspectives are also provided with the long-term objective that these nanofluids be more widely considered in real industrial applications.