Numerical Investigation of Fluid Effects on Heat Transfer of Nanofluids in a Plane Channel: Application to Solar Thermal Panels
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.3506Keywords:
Laminar mixed convection, Nanofluids, Nanoparticles, Finite difference method, Thomas Algorithm (TDMA)Abstract
In this work, a numerical investigation is conducted to analyze laminar mixed convection of nanofluids in a two-dimensional horizontal channel. The lower wall of the channel dissipates heat at constant hot temperature, whereas the upper wall is adiabatic. The analysis considers five volume concentrations (φ) of copper nanoparticles (Cu), ranging from 0 to 0.2, suspended in common base fluids such as ethylene glycol, soybean oil, and sunflower oil. The effective thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity of the nanofluid are estimated using the Maxwell-Garnett and Brinkman models, respectively. The set of governing equations is derived and solved numerically through a finite difference discretization. For numerical resolution, a line-by-line sweeping strategy in combination with the Thomas algorithm (TDMA) is implemented. The objective of this study is to investigate how viscosity and thermal conductivity influence both heat transfer and flow behavior, in order to determine the nanofluid that maximizes thermal performance. The outcomes are expected to contribute to enhancing the use of nanofluids in advanced thermal control systems.
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