Simulating the convective heat transfer of nanofluid Poiseuille flow in a nanochannel by molecular dynamics method

Abstract

Abstract This paper investigates convective heat transfer of nanofluid flowing through a copper nanochannel. Ar − Cu Nanofluid is used to study in the nanochannel. Simulations are performed by LAMMPS code and the effects of nanoparticles presence on convective heat transfer are investigated. For this purpose, Nusselt number for nanofluid is calculated and compared with base liquid. The results indicate that the presence of nanoparticles increases the Nusselt number, which is due to the change in the velocity and structure of base liquid atoms. Furthermore, the investigation of Nusselt number for nanofluid shows that it is affected by diameter and volume concentration of nanoparticles. In a same volume concentration, with the increase in diameter, the ratio of the surface to the volume of nanoparticles decreases. This reduces the fluid atoms mobility caused by the presence of nanoparticles. Also, decreasing this ratio reduces the amount of solid-like layer in vicinity of the nanoparticles, which decreases the heat transfer capability in the nanochannel. However, for constant diameter, the Nusselt number increases with increasing volume concentration, which is due to the increase in the number of nanoparticles and existence of more space for fluid atoms absorption.