An analytical consideration of steady-state forced convection within a nanofluid-saturated metal foam

Abstract

An analytical consideration has been made to explore the velocity, temperature and nanoparticle distributions and heat transfer characteristics associated with thermal dispersion and nanoparticle mechanical dispersion within a nanofluid-saturated homogeneous metal foam. A volume-averaging theory was rigorously applied to integrate locally a set of governing equations based on the modified Buongiorno model at the pore scale. Thus, a macroscopic set of volume-averaged governing equations were derived allowing interstitial heat transfer between the nanofluid and metal phases. Unknown terms were modelled mathematically to obtain a closed set of volume-averaged governing equations. Subsequently, a pore-scale analysis was carried out to find possible functional forms for describing thermal dispersion and nanoparticle mechanical dispersion in a nanofluid-saturated metal foam. Using the resulting set of volume-averaged governing equations, forced convective flows in nanofluid-saturated metal foams were analytically investigated for the steady-state case. Eventually, it has been predicted that an unconventionally high level of the heat transfer rate (about 80 times more than the case of base fluid convection without a metal foam) may be achieved by combination of metal foam and nanofluid.