Numerical Modeling of Unsteady Pulsating nanofluid flow in a rectangular channel

Abstract

In this study, two-dimensional pulsating unsteady flow of nanofluid through a rectangular channel with isothermal walls is investigated numerically. The finite volume approach with a staggered grid arrangement is employed to discretize the governing momentum and energy equations. The set of resultant algebraic equations is solved simultaneously using SIMPLE algorithm to obtain the velocity and pressure distribution within the channel. The results are obtained for different pulse parameters, which are Strouhal number (frequency of pulsation), Amplitude of pulsation, Reynolds number and volume fraction of nanoparticles. The results show that increasing the amplitude of pulsation has no effect on cycle period of pulsation, while it can raise the Nusselt number. The analysis also reveals that increasing the Strouhal number reduces the cycle period of pulsation significantly, while its effect on the rate of heat transfer is not more appreciable. Furthermore, it is found that the heat transfer increases, as the volume fraction of nanoparticles and Reynolds number increase. It can also be seen that the maximum value of relative Nusselt number for silver nanoparticles is more than other studied nanoparticles.

Keywords

• pulsating flow
• nanofluid
• rectangular channel
• unsteady state
• numerical solution