Lattice Boltzmann method for nanofluid flow and heat transfer in a curve-ended T-shaped heat exchanger

Abstract

Purpose The study aims to study the nanofluid flow and heat transfer in a T-shaped heat exchanger. For the numerical simulations, the lattice Boltzmann method is used. Design/methodology/approach The end of each branch of the heat exchanger is considered a curve wall that requires special thermal and physical boundary conditions. To improve the thermal performance of the heat exchanger, the CuO–water nanofluid, which has better heat transfer performance with respect to pure water, is used. The dynamic viscosity of nanofluid is estimated by means of KKL model. Several active fins and solid bodies are implanted within the heat exchanger with different thermal arrangements. Findings In the present work, different approaches such as heatline visualization, local and total entropy generation analysis, local and total Nusselt variation are used to detect the impact of different considered parameters such as Rayleigh number (103 < Ra < 106), solid volume fraction of nanofluid (φ = 0,0.01,0.02,0.03 and 0.04 vol. per cent) and thermal arrangements of internal bodies (Case A, Case B, Case C and Case D) on the fluid flow and heat transfer performance. Originality/value The originality of this work is to analyze the two-dimensional natural convection and entropy generation using lattice Boltzmann method.