Free convection of a nanofluid in a square cavity with a heat source on the bottom wall and partially cooled from sides

Abstract

The problem of free convection fluid flow and heat transfer in a square cavity with a flush mounted heat source on its bottom wall and two heat sinks on its vertical side walls has been investigated numerically. Via changing the location of the heat sinks, six different arrangements have been generated. The cavity was filled with Cu-water nanofluid. The governing equations were discretized using the finite volume method and SIMPLER algorithm. Using the developed code, a parametric study was undertaken, and effects of Rayleigh number, arrangements of the heat sinks and volume fraction of the nanoparticles on fluid flow and heat transfer inside the cavity were investigated. Also for the middle-middle heat sinks arrangement, capability of five different water based nanofluids on enhancement of the rate of heat transfer was examined and compared. From the obtained results it was found that the average Nusselt number, for all six different arrangements of the heat sinks, was an increasing function of the Rayleigh number and the volume fraction of the nanoparticles. Also it was found that at high Rayleigh numbers, maximum and minimum average Nusselt number occurred for middle-middle and top-bottom arrangement, respectively. Moreover it was found that for the middle-middle arrangement, at high Rayleigh numbers, maximum and minimum rate of heat transfer was obtained by Cu-water and TiO2-water nanofluids respectively.