Mixed convection of single-walled carbon nanotubes in a triangular cavity containing a pentagonal impediment

Abstract

Abstract Mixed convection of nanofluid (a homogeneous mixture of water and single-walled carbon nanotubes) is investigated numerically in a triangular cavity containing an adiabatic pentagonal obstacle close to the top surface. Analytical models are employed for effective thermophysical properties of nanofluid regarding carbon nanotubes and water. The top wall of the cavity is kept at a higher temperature, while the inclined sidewalls are kept at a lower temperature. A constant magnetic field of intensity B0 is introduced in the momentum equation. The effects of radiation and viscous heating on heat transfer are neglected. The impacts of Richardson number on the dimensionless velocity and temperature are presented graphically in terms of streamlines and isotherms. The Galerkin finite element method with a penalty function is employed to obtain the solution of dimensionless partial differential equations. The numerical results are examined for governing parameters, including volume fraction of carbon nanotubes, Richardson, and Hartmann numbers. It is concluded that the Nusselt number increases with increasing the governing parameters in the presence of an adiabatic pentagonal obstacle.