Numerical analysis of magnetohydrodynamic natural convection in a nanofluid filled quadrantal enclosure

Abstract

The present numerical work investigates the magnetohydrodynamic buoyancy driven thermal energy transport inside a copper-water nanofluid filled quadrantal enclosure. The base of the enclosure is subjected to constant temperature heating, while the vertical wall is maintained at a uniform cold temperature and the curved wall is insulated. The results are enumerated for the following range of parameters: 103 ≤ Rayleigh number (Ra) ≤ 106, 0 ≤ Hartmann number (Ha) ≤ 100 and 0 ≤ volume fraction of nanoparticles (ϕ) ≤ 0.05. It reveals that the average Nusselt number is a function of ϕ and it shows an increase with ϕ. Further, it is also observed that the average Nusselt number decreases with Ha and the change is more profound at higher Ra (105 and 106) values. The heat transfer rate is increased by decreasing the sector angle of enclosure and vice versa. In this way not only Ra, ϕ, Ha influence the heat transfer rate but a geometry variation has an equal role to play in the alteration of heat transfer.

Keywords

• Heat transfer
• Magnetic field
• Nanofluid
• Natural convection
• Quadrantal enclosure