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Numerical study of natural convection and entropy generation of Cu-water nanofluid around an obstacle in a cavity

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Abstract

In this work, natural convection and entropy generation in a square cavity with an obstacle filled with Cu-water nanofluid is numerically studied. Horizontal walls of the cavity are adiabatic and vertical walls are maintained at a different constant temperature. The study has been done for the Rayleigh numbers between 103 and 106, the obstacle dimensions (W/L) of 0.1–0.5 and for base fluid as well as nanofluid. It is found that, using the nanofluid overall leads to increase the flow strength, Nusselt number and entropy generation and decrease the Bejan number especially at high Rayleigh numbers. It is observed that by increasing the obstacle dimensions, the entropy generation increases and the Bejan number decreases, but the effect of the obstacle dimensions on Nusselt number depends on Rayleigh number. For the present thermal system, the increasing Nusselt number compared to increasing entropy generation due to increase obstacle dimensions is significant at low Rayleigh numbers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Research Institute, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran

    G. A. Sheikhzadeh & M. Nikfar

Authors
  1. G. A. Sheikhzadeh
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  2. M. Nikfar
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  3. A. Fattahi
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Correspondence to M. Nikfar.

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Recommended by Associate Editor Jun Sang Park

Ghanbar Ali Sheikhzadeh is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Department at University of Kashan; Kashan, Iran. He received his Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman. His research work concerns numerical analysis and application of heat transfer in nano-systems and other areas of thermal and fluid sciences. Dr. Sheikhzadeh has published many journal and conference papers on these topics.

Majid Nikfar is a researcher of Energy Research Institute at University of Kashan; Kashan, Iran. He received his Master’s degree from University of Kashan; Kashan, Iran. His research interest is fluid dynamics, heat transfer and combustion.

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Sheikhzadeh, G.A., Nikfar, M. & Fattahi, A. Numerical study of natural convection and entropy generation of Cu-water nanofluid around an obstacle in a cavity. J Mech Sci Technol 26, 3347–3356 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-012-0805-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-012-0805-9

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