Abstract
This study challenges the capabilities of artificial neural network (ANN) as well as response surface methodology (RSM) in estimating the viscosity (μ) and thermal conductivity (k) of β − SiC/EG and β − SiC/PG nanofluids. The implementation of these methods is performed by defining statistical criteria with a great obsession to forecast viscosity ratio as well as thermal conductivity ratio with the least error. The nanoparticle of β − SiC has a bigger effect on μEG and μPG so that they increase up to 78.71% and 56%, while kEG and kPG improve under the best conditions up to 14.64% and 4.85%, respectively. Statistical calculations show that for RSM, R-square is 0.987forμβ−SiC/EGμEG, 0.975 μβ−SiC/PGμPG, 0.99 kβ−SiC/EGkEG and 0.987 kβ−SiC/PGkPG. This figure for ANN is 0.994, 0.992, 0.994 and 0.991. This implies that ANN ability is superior. Although β − SiC nanoparticles increase the viscosity by 78.7% (for EG) and 56% (for PG) which is not desirable, fortunately, fluid mechanics-based calculations reveal that in turbulent regime, the pumping power increases by only 17.2% and 13.5% under worst conditions.
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•Numerical study on β-SiC nanoparticles efficacy on performance of EG and PG liquids.•ANN implementation had superior fitting criteria to RSM.•Loading β − SiC improved thermal conductivity by 14.64 and 4.85% for EG and PG.•Incorporation of β − SiC amplified the viscosity by 78.7 and 56% for EG and PG.•Pumping power increased by only 17.2% and 13.5% in turbulent regime.