Flow and heat transfer analysis of carbon nanotubes based nanofluid flow inside a cavity with modified Fourier heat flux

Abstract

Impact of modified Fourier heat flux on flow and heat transfer characteristics of magnetic nanofluid inside a cavity packed with type nanofluid by taking thermal radiation into the account is numerically examined in this analysis. The cavity is filled with nanofluid made up of multi—walled carbon nanotubes as nanoparticle and Ethylene glycol as base fluid. Finite difference method is employed to solve the dimensionless partial differential equations represents energy and fluid flow equations of the present problem. Streamlines and Isotherms with different values of pertinent variables, such as, Magnetic parameter volume fraction parameter Prandtl number thermal relaxation parameter Rayleigh number and radiation number are plotted through graphs. Average Nusselt number values are also calculated for several values of parameters and are also represented through plots. It is perceived from this investigation that the rates of heat transfer enriched from 4.8% to 12.6% when multi-walled carbon nanotubes of volume fraction 0.03 are added to the base fluid. Thermal relaxation parameter insentifies the rates of heat transfer of type nanofluid inside the cavity.