https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-026-07721-6
Regular Article
Thermal performance enhancement of a double tube heat exchanger using ternary nanofluid and disk-type turbulators: a numerical study
1
Laboratory of Energy and Heat and Mass Transfer (LETTM), Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia
2
University of Gabes, IPEI Gabes, Omar Ibn Khattab Street, 6072, Zrig, Gabes, Tunisia
a
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Received:
10
February
2026
Accepted:
19
April
2026
Published online:
3
May
2026
Abstract
Improving the efficiency of compact heat exchangers is essential for modern thermal systems facing strict energy and cost constraints. This study introduces a CFD-based analysis of a counterflow double tube heat exchanger enhanced by both ternary hybrid nanofluids and disk-type turbulators. The working fluid combines CuO, CaCO₃, and SiO₂ nanoparticles dispersed in distilled water, with temperature-dependent thermophysical properties. Three tube configurations were tested: a smooth inner tube, a tube with solid hollow disk inserts, and a tube with perforated disk turbulators, aimed at maximizing turbulence intensity and heat transfer. The simulations, conducted via the finite volume method using the standard k–ε model, span Reynolds numbers from 3424 to 11,985 and nanoparticle volume fractions up to 0.4%. Validation was performed using experimental and empirical benchmarks. Results demonstrate that the combination of hybrid nanofluids and turbulence promoters yields a synergistic thermal enhancement: the convective heat transfer coefficient increased by up to 194.2%, and the overall heat transfer coefficient by 191.1%. The perforated disk design achieved a maximum 140% increase in the thermal performance factor, confirming the potential of ternary nanofluids with optimized turbulators for next-generation heat exchanger applications.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
