A Numerical Investigation on Nanofluid Laminar Mixed Convection in Confined Impinging Jets

Abstract

In this paper a numerical investigation on confined impinging slot jets working with a mixture of water and Al2O3 nanoparticles is described. The flow is laminar and a constant temperature is applied on the target surface. A single-phase model approach has been adopted because the particle concentrations are low. Different geometric ratios and nanoparticle volume concentrations have been considered at different Richardson numbers in order to take into account also the buoyancy effects. The aim consists into study the behaviour of the system by means of average and local Nusselt number, convective heat transfer coefficient and required pumping power profiles, temperature fields and stream function contours. The dimensionless stream function contours showed that the intensity and size of the vortex structures depend on the confining effects, given by H/W ratio, Richardson number and particle concentrations. Furthermore, for increasing concentrations, nanofluids realize increasing fluid bulk temperature, as a result of the elevated thermal conductivity of mixtures. The local Nusselt number profiles show the highest values at the stagnation point and they depend on Richardson number and particle concentrations.