Emulsions of heat transfer fluids including nanodroplets to enhance thermal conductivities of fluids

Abstract

A heat transfer fluid emulsion includes a heat transfer fluid, and liquid droplets dispersed within the heat transfer fluid, where the liquid droplets are substantially immiscible with respect to the heat transfer fluid and have dimensions that are no greater than about 100 nanometers. In addition, the thermal conductivity of the heat transfer fluid emulsion is greater than the thermal conductivity of the heat transfer fluid.

1 . A heat transfer fluid emulsion comprising: 
 a heat transfer fluid; and    liquid droplets dispersed within the heat transfer fluid, wherein the liquid droplets are substantially immiscible with respect to the heat transfer fluid and have dimensions that are no greater than about 100 nanometers.    
   
   
       2 . The emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises one of water, liquid hydrocarbon compounds and liquid fluorocarbon compounds.  
   
   
       3 . The emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises an engine oil compound.  
   
   
       4 . The emulsion of  claim 3 , wherein the engine oil compound comprises a polyalphaolefin.  
   
   
       5 . The emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid droplets comprise one of water, liquid hydrocarbon compounds and liquid fluorocarbon compounds.  
   
   
       6 . The emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein the emulsion has a greater thermal conductivity than the heat transfer fluid.  
   
   
       7 . The emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises a fluorocarbon compound, and the liquid droplets comprise water.  
   
   
       8 . The emulsion of  claim 7 , wherein the fluorocarbon compound comprises perfluorohexane.  
   
   
       9 . The emulsion of  claim 7 , wherein a concentration of water droplets within the fluorocarbon compound is no greater than about 20% by volume.  
   
   
       10 . The emulsion of  claim 7 , wherein a concentration of water droplets within the fluorocarbon compound is about 12% by volume.  
   
   
       11 . The emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein liquid droplets comprise one of a metal and a metal alloy.  
   
   
       12 . The emulsion of  claim 11 , wherein the metal comprises gallium.  
   
   
       13 . The emulsion of  claim 12 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises an engine oil.  
   
   
       14 . The emulsion of  claim 13 , wherein the engine oil comprises a polyalphaolefin compound.  
   
   
       15 . A method of forming a heat transfer fluid emulsion comprising: 
 combining a heat transfer fluid with a material that is substantially immiscible with respect to the heat transfer fluid; and    mixing the material in the heat transfer fluid to form an emulsion comprising liquid droplets dispersed within the heat transfer fluid, wherein the liquid droplets have dimensions that are no greater than about 100 nanometers.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises one of water, liquid hydrocarbon compounds and liquid fluorocarbon compounds.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises polyalphaolefin compounds.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the material that forms liquid droplets within the heat transfer fluid comprises one of water, liquid hydrocarbon compounds and liquid fluorocarbon compounds.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the emulsion formed from mixing the material in the heat transfer fluid has a greater thermal conductivity than the heat transfer fluid.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises a fluorocarbon compound, and the liquid droplets comprise water.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the fluorocarbon compound comprises perfluorohexane.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein a concentration of water droplets within the fluorocarbon compound is no greater than about 20% by volume.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the material comprises one of a metal and a metal alloy.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the material comprises gallium.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises an engine oil.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the engine oil comprises a polyalphaolefin compound.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the mixing of the material in the heat transfer fluid comprises ultrasonic mixing to obtain the emulsion comprising liquid droplets dispersed within the heat transfer fluid.