Natural convection in a nanofluid-filled eccentric annulus with constant heat flux wall: A lattice Boltzmann study with immersed boundary method

Abstract

A numerical investigation of natural convection in a Cu–water nanofluid-filled eccentric annulus with constant heat flux wall is presented. The governing equations of the flow and temperature fields are solved by lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), and the Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions are treated using the immersed boundary method (IBM). Influences of the Rayleigh number (103 ≤ Ra ≤ 107), eccentricity (ε=−0.625,0 and 0.625), nanoparticles volume fraction (0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 0.03) and radial ratio (rr=2.33,2.6 and 3) on the streamlines, isotherms and Nusselt number are studied. It is found that the inclusion of the nanoparticles into pure fluid changes the flow pattern. And the Nusselt number has a positive relationship with nanoparticle volume fraction, Rayleigh number and radial ratio. Also, it can be confirmed that Nusselt number in the case with negative eccentricity (ε=−0.625) is larger than the others.