A laminar forced convection via transport of water-copper-aluminum hybrid nanofluid through heated deep and shallow cavity with Corcione model.

Abstract

The article explores how fluid flows and heat transfers in both deep and shallow cavities when using a nanofluid made of water, copper, and aluminum oxide. The study applies the Corcione model to hybrid nanofluids, which considers viscosity, conductivity, and the size of the nanoparticle, temperature, and Reynolds number. The cavity is connected to a rectangular channel, with the cavity's length being half the total length of the enclosure, and the aspect ratio (cavity height divided by height of the channel) is tested from 1 to 3. The study uses the Navier-Stokes equation and energy equation in two dimensions, along with finite element-based software, COMSOL 5.6, to simulate the combination of fluid flow and heat transmission. The results show a circular distribution of temperature in the cavity, and the average temperature drops as the volume fraction of copper upsurges. However, both the Reynolds number and volume fraction of copper improve the average Nusselt number, which shows how well the fluid transfers heat, along the cavity's middle line. The percentage change in the average Nusselt number decreases as the aspect ratio increases, indicating improved conduction.