Analysis of Convection Phenomenon in Enclosure Utilizing Nanofluids with Baffle Effects

Abstract

The behavior of convective heat transfer in an enclosure filled with Cu–water nanofluid with a baffle has been numerically studied using the finite element method. The enclosure’s top and bottom walls were adiabatic, while the other two were maintained at various temperatures. The left hot wall had an effective thickness and a baffle was added to the bottom wall. The influence of different parameters like the nanoparticle’s concentration (ϕ), Rayleigh number (Ra), the thermal conductivity ratio of the thick wall (Kr), baffle angle (Ø), and the hot wall thickness (D) on the isotherm and fluid flow patterns were examined. The result showed that the average Nusselt number was enhanced, owing to the strength of the buoyancy force becoming more effective. Furthermore, as the baffle inclination angle increased, the maximum stream function at the core corresponded to the angle when it reached Ø=60°, then it gradually decreased to the minimum value as the baffle angle reached close to Ø=120°.

Keywords

• baffle
• convection
• enclosure
• inclination angle
• nanofluid