Numerical Investigation of Heat Transfer by Al2O3–Water Nanofluid in Square Cavity

Abstract

In this paper, the problem of heat transfer by Al2O3–water nanofluid in the square cavity is studied numerically. The bottom and top walls of the cavity are kept at constant temperatures Th and Tc, respectively, while the tow horizontal walls are supposed to be adiabatic and insulated. Again the effects of the thermal conductivity, the dynamic viscosity, the solid volume fraction, and the particle size on heat transfer nanofluid are discussed. We propose two models for viscosity and thermal conductivity of Al2O3–water nanofluid as functions of nanosolid concentration and diameter size more precise than those given by the theory and valid at room temperature. Numerical results show that the heat transfer is influenced by the particle size and the solid volume fraction.