NATURAL CONVECTION IN NANOFLUID-FILLED ENCLOSURE WITH HEAT-FLUX BOUNDARY

Abstract

A numerical investigation of buoyancy-driven flow in a two-dimensional square enclosure filled with Cu-H2O nanofluid has been conducted. On one wall heat flux boundary and on the other three walls convective boundary conditions have been conducted. Effect of inclination angle has been studied. Different pertinent parameters of the present study are Grashof number (5×104) and nanoparticle concentration (ϕ ≤ 8%) and inclination angles. Prandtl number for water has been kept constant (Pr =6.49). Results shows that fluid flow is very sensitive to the inclination angles values, mild conduction has been observed when heat flux is at the top wall. Mirror image results have been found for 90° and 270° inclination angle because of the boundary condition applied. Addition of nano-particle in the base-fluid is not showing any improvement. Addition of nano-particles in the base fluid is increasingthe peak velocities but changes in flow patterns are negligible.