The effects of triton x-100 and tween 80 surfactants on the thermal performance of a nano-lubricant: An experimental study

WOS:000593068300001In this experimental study, experiments were carried out using a nano-lubricant consisting of polyol ester (POE)-titanium dioxide (TiO2)-surfactant instead of POE oil used in the compressor in a refrigeration system cycle test apparatus. The main aim of the study was to provide more efficient operation of the refrigeration system. Triton X100 (TX-100) and sorbitan polyoxyethylene monooleate (Tween 80) were used as the surface-active material. Nano-lubricants were formed by mixing TiO2 nanoparticles with POE oil at different concentrations. At these different nanoparticle concentrations, 0.5% of the surfactant was used. The reason for using a surfactant in the nano-lubricant was to prevent agglomeration in the mixture. TX-100 and Tween 80 surfactants were also used to study the effects of the surfactant on the nano-lubricant. Experiments were carried out using three different concentrations and three measurements for each concentration using the POE/TiO2/surfactant nano-lubricants. The best improvement was achieved when a nano-lubricant consisting of a mixture of TX-100 and POE oil with a concentration of 1.5% TiO2 was used. The improvement in coefficient of performance (COP) for the refrigeration cycle was 39.42%.