Buoyant Convective Flow and Heat Dissipation of Cu–H2O Nanoliquids in an Annulus Through a Thin Baffle

Abstract

This article numerically investigates the buoyant convective flow and thermal transport enhancement of Cu–H2O nanoliquid in a differentially heated upright annulus having a thin baffle. For the analysis, the outer and inner cylinders are cooled and heated respectively through insulated top and lower boundaries. Also, the baffle temperature is assumed to be that of the hot cylinder. The finite difference based numerical technique is used to solve the system of equations governing the physical processes. The findings are accessible in terms isotherms, streamlines and Nu number for wider ranges of baffle positions and lengths, Rayleigh numbers, and by considering different nanofluid (NF) volume fractions. The average Nu number is enhanced in addition of the Cu nanoparticle to the base liquid and it is also found the liquid flow and heat transport can be successfully controlled via the appropriate selection of baffle location and length. Principally, the baffle length having 20% of annular width placed at 80% of the annular height has been found to produce higher thermal transport rates as compared to other choices of baffle lengths and positions.