Turbulent natural convection combined with entropy generation in a nanofluid cavity with non-uniformly heated side walls

Abstract

The two-dimensional turbulent natural convection and entropy generation within an alumina-water nanoliquid chamber in the presence of sinusoidal temperature profiles at vertical walls is calculated. The considered process has been modelled using the RANS (Reynoldsaveraged Navier–Stokes) approach for turbulent regime and Boussinesq approximation for the buoyancy force. The control equations written using the non-dimensional stream function, vorticity and temperature variables combined with parameters of standard κ-ε turbulence model have been solved by the finite difference method with non-uniform computational mesh. The special algebraic transformation has been used for an introduction of the non-uniform mesh in physical domain. The influence of the nano-sized particles concentration and Rayleigh number on the nanofluid circulation and energy transport patterns has been examined.