Effects of Movable-Baffle on Heat Transfer and Entropy Generation in a Cavity Saturated by CNT Suspensions: Three-Dimensional Modeling

Abstract

Convective heat transfer and entropy generation in a 3D closed cavity, equipped with adiabatic-driven baffle and filled with CNT (carbon nanotube)-water nanofluid, are numerically investigated for a range of Rayleigh numbers from 103 to 105. This research is conducted for three configurations; fixed baffle (V = 0), rotating baffle clockwise (V+) and rotating baffle counterclockwise (V−) and a range of CNT concentrations from 0 to 15%. Governing equations are formulated using potential vector vorticity formulation in its three-dimensional form, then solved by the finite volume method. The effects of motion direction of the inserted driven baffle and CNT concentration on heat transfer and entropy generation are studied. It was observed that for low Rayleigh numbers, the motion of the driven baffle enhances heat transfer regardless of its direction and the CNT concentration effect is negligible. However, with an increasing Rayleigh number, adding driven baffle increases the heat transfer only when it moves in the direction of the decreasing temperature gradient; elsewhere, convective heat transfer cannot be enhanced due to flow blockage at the corners of the baffle.

Keywords

• computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
• convection
• entropy
• nanofluids
• driven baffle
• 3D