Graphene-based nanofluid for advanced thermal properties

Project Information

NanoCooling

Grant agreement ID: 887054

DOI

10.3030/887054

Project closed

EC signature date 4 December 2019

Start date 1 January 2020

End date 30 April 2020

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

INDUSTRIAL QUIMICA RIOJANA SOCIEDAD ANONIMA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NanoCooling (Graphene-based nanofluid for advanced thermal properties)

Reporting period: 2020-01-01 to 2020-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Among all thermophysical properties, thermal conductivity plays a vital role in most engineering applications as it represents the capability of a material to transfer heat. Therefore, heat removal and management is a major concern for any technology that deals with high power and small size. Growing energy demands, precision manufacturing, miniaturization, nuclear regulations and critical economies demand high-efficient coolants and lubricants.
One of the main reasons for the failure of engine oils is their thermal degradation due to elevated heat conditions. Increasing heat levels which exceed 250 °C at cylinder liner piston ring interfaces in engines lead to various problems such as accelerated decomposition of additives and base oil, increasing volatility, viscosity- index improvers shearing down more rapidly, rupture of oil films, faster abrasion, scuffing conditions, and shortening the life of filters.
NanoCooling is a multiphase cooling system with a base matrix host fluid and a stable dispersion of graphene flakes. Graphene is a major contender to produce high-performance nanofluids given its excellent thermal properties. Thus, IQR has developed stable graphene nanofluids with enhanced thermal properties, suitable for their application in automotive and industry engines.
NanoCooling shows best-in-class heat exchange performance (1.2 - 2 W/mK). The enhanced thermal conductive behaviour with only 1.5 – 2% of graphene makes the resultant coolant cost-effective and competitive. Using NanoCooling for an internal combustion engine, it is possible to obtain up to 20°C
lower working temperature. This considerable drop of the operation temperature will allow IQR to position our product quickly as the most efficient coolant liquids commercially available. Moreover, the lifespan of engines will be extended preventing them from overheating.
The objective is to build and start-up a medium scale production process in our own facilities, leveraging our know-how and installations suitable and capable for this process, similar to the line for producing our current lubricants. The major challenge is to design the production process for bulk production which entails several scaling challenges related to the dispersion and optimisation itself.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

To have a successful market uptake and establish the desired leading position, it is essential to strategically plan a feasible and realistic roadmap for the next 2 years’ work to optimize our technology and to attain industrial production scale, taking into account a detailed risk assessment and a mitigation plan accordingly. From a commercial perspective we have assessed the best go-to-market strategy in terms of investment required, geographic issues, timing, breakeven and ROI to elaborate a 5-year business plan.
1) Technical Feasibility Study for the elaboration of a detailed plan for the optimization and scale-up of NanoCooling production process, defining equipment required including life cycle analysis of NanoCooling products; (2) Thorough commercialisation roadmap, including differentiation / prioritisation among different end-users; (3) Supply chain development; (4) freedom-to-operate (FTO) analysis and further patentability study, and (5) Business Plan to assess the long-term financial viability of our project (profit potential), to establish NanoCooling commercialization + implementation strategy.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Currently, most heat exchanger systems use water, hydroalcoholic mixtures or oil. These three traditional options are low or very low heat transfer fluids with thermal conductivities of 0.61 0.25 and 0.145 W·m-1·K-1, for water, ethylene glycol and oil, respectively. Until now, these three liquids are the most frequently used solutions because they are cheap, easily accessible and in the case of low demanding tasks, they are effective. Nevertheless, for some applications the equipment size or weight, and/or the process time are too high, and it is therefore necessary to seek alternatives.
The use of different grades of graphene to prepare aqueous colloidal suspensions offer the best option from a performance point of view and effectiveness one. Currently, the cost of graphene is not too high, and at low dosage, around 2%, the selling price of the nanofluid could be competitive. On the other hand, graphene colloidal solutions are lubricants and stable in a wide range of pH, therefore the corrosion and erosion problems of metal oxide based nanofluids should not appear. And finally, the use of graphene nanofluids is an improvement from CFC’s regarding care for the environment.