Abstract
This study investigates numerically the effect of the two-phase nanofluid model due to natural convection within a square cavity along with the existence of a conducting solid block, and a corner heater using the finite difference method (FDM). The top horizontal wall is retained at a cold temperature that is fixed as constant, while the isothermal heater is positioned at the bottom left corner within the square cavity. The remaining fractions of the right vertical wall and the heated wall are set to be adiabatic. The water-based nanofluid, together with Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles, have been evaluated by determining the following parameters: the volume fraction of nanoparticles, thickness of solid block, Rayleigh number, and the solid block thermal conductivity. As a result, the comparative evaluation with outputs reported in publications and prior experimental works has pointed out exceptional agreement with the findings retrieved in this study. The experimental outcomes are graphically illustrated in terms of the average and local Nusselt numbers, isotherms, distribution of nanoparticles, and the streamlines. The findings indicate that an elevation of the thermal conductivity in blocks with a similar size successfully increases the transfer rate of heat, wherein the dominance of conduction has been observed.
Highlights
The importance of natural convection heat transfer within cavities has been acknowledged in the engineering arena for its various uses for ventilation, solar, cooling of electronics and buildings, exchange of heat, storage tanks, and dual-pane windows
Since none has examined conjugate natural convection of Al2 O3 -water nanofluid using Buongiorno’s two-phase model in a square enclosure, along with a corner heater and a conducting solid block; this study investigates this particular research area which is deemed significant
The aim of the present work is to investigate the effects of a non-homogeneous nanofluid model on natural convection in a square cavity in the presence of a conducting solid block and a corner heater
Summary
The importance of natural convection heat transfer within cavities has been acknowledged in the engineering arena for its various uses for ventilation, solar, cooling of electronics and buildings, exchange of heat, storage tanks, and dual-pane windows. Some exceptional attributes of a nanofluid are as follows: flexibility, stability, homogeneity, high thermal conductivity, and nano-sized particles that prevents clogging in flow channels and offers huge surface area. These properties make nanofluids an excellent material for use in several industries, for instance, solar panels and alternative energy systems, coolant for nuclear reactor, oil industry, electronics, and construction
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