Open Access
ARTICLE
Thermal Assessment of a Differentially Heated Nanofluid-Filled Cavity Containing an Obstacle
Abdelilah Makaoui1, El Bachir Lahmer1,*, Jaouad Benhamou1,2, Mohammed Amine Moussaoui1, Ahmed Mezrhab1
1 Mechanics & Energy Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed First University, Oujda, 60000, Morocco
2 Higher School of Education and Training, Mohammed First University, Oujda, 60000, Morocco
* Corresponding Author: El Bachir Lahmer. Email:
Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer https://doi.org/10.32604/fhmt.2024.060166
Received 25 October 2024; Accepted 09 December 2024; Published online 06 January 2025
Abstract
This study focuses on numerically investigating thermal behavior within a differentially heated cavity filled with nanofluid with and without obstacles. Numerical comparison with previous studies proves the consistency and efficacy of the lattice Boltzmann method associated with a single relaxation time and its possibility of studying the nanofluid and heat transfer with high accuracy. Key parameters, including nanoparticle type and concentration, Rayleigh number, fluid basis, and obstacle position and dimension, were examined to identify optimal conditions for enhancing heat transfer quality. Principal findings indicated that increasing the Rayleigh number boosts buoyancy forces and alters vortex structure, improving the heat transfer efficiency across all nanofluid configurations. Moreover, nanoparticles with higher thermal conductivity, particularly Cu nanoparticles, exhibit slight improvements in heat transfer quality compared to Al2O3 nanoparticles, while higher nanoparticle concentrations generally lead to enhanced heat transfer effectiveness. Water-Cu nanofluids also demonstrate superior heat transfer performance over ethylene glycol-Cu nanofluids. Furthermore, the presence of obstacles at cavity extremities hampers overall heat transfer, whereas those positioned centrally augment heat exchange rates. This research offers valuable insights into optimizing convective heat transfer in nanofluid-filled cavities crucial for various engineering applications.
Keywords
Nanofluid flow; heat transfer quality; lattice Boltzmann method; nanoparticles; differentially heated cavity