Numerical Investigation into Natural Convection and Entropy Generation in a Nanofluid-Filled U-Shaped Cavity

Entropy

Ching-Chang Cho¹  Her-Terng Yau²  Ching-Huang Chiu¹  Kuo-Ching Chiu¹ 

[1] Department of Vehicle Engineering, National Formosa University, No.64, Wunhua Rd., Huwei Township, Yunlin County 63201, Taiwan; E-Mails:;Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, 35, 215 Lane, Sec. 1, Chung Shan Road, Taiping, Taichung City 41170, Taiwan

关键词: entropy generation;    nanofluid;    heat transfer enhancement;    cavity;    natural convection;   

DOI  :  10.3390/e17095980

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

This current work studies the heat transfer performance and entropy generation of natural convection in a nanofluid-filled U-shaped cavity. The flow behavior and heat transfer performance in the cavity are governed using the continuity equation, momentum equations, energy equation and Boussinesq approximation, and are solved numerically using the finite-volume method and SIMPLE C algorithm. The simulations examine the effects of the nanoparticle volume fraction, Rayleigh number and the geometry parameters of the U-shaped cavity on the mean Nusselt number and total entropy generation. It shows that the mean Nusselt number increases and the total entropy generation reduces as the volume fraction of nanoparticles increases. In addition, the results show that the mean Nusselt number and the total entropy generation are both increased as the Rayleigh number increases. Finally, it also shows that mean Nusselt number can be increased and the total entropy generation can be reduced by extending the length of the low temperature walls or widening the width of the low temperature walls.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.