Enhancing heat transfer in L-shaped enclosures with combined natural convection-fluid structure interaction: Incorporating flexible fin and elastic wall

Abstract

In the present investigation, a numerical investigation of the flow and heat transfer characteristics inside an L-shaped enclosure with a flexible fin and an elastic wall has been carried out using the finite element method. The Fluid-Structure Interaction model is used to capture the interaction between the fluid and the solid structure. The free end of the flexible fin is exposed to sinusoidal vertical force and the upper wall of the enclosure is considered to be elastic and a sinusoidal force is applied on this elastic wall. The obtained results showed that the fluid flow through the enclosure is entirely influenced by the periodic oscillation of the flexible fin and elastic wall. Besides, the Nusselt number over the horizontal and vertical hot walls of the L-shaped enclosure is strongly affected by the amplitude and frequency of the applied sinusoidal forces on the flexible fin and elastic wall. The heat transfer over the vertical hot wall is enhanced considerably with an increase in the amplitude and frequency of the applied sinusoidal forces. Moreover, the Nusselt number over the hot vertical wall is increased with the decrease of the elastic modulus value of the elastic wall. The results also show that the combination of the flexible fin and elastic wall has contributed to the extra enhancement of the Nusselt number over the hot vertical wall of the L-shaped enclosure.