Analysis of the forced convection via the turbulence transport of the hybrid mixture in three-dimensional L-shaped channel
Nevzat Akkurt, Tim Shedd, Abid Ali Memon, Usman Usman, Mohamed R. Ali, Mohamed Bouye
Abstract
After introducing the advantage of nanofluids for optimizing heat transfer, many research articles have been written considering the different types of domains. In our article, we will observe the turbulent transport of a hybrid mixture through the three-dimensional L-shaped channel to analyze the characteristic of heat generation via forced convection. The hybrid nanofluid is composed of aluminum oxide copper (Cu) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3), which will be present in the base fluid by the volume fraction of 5%, 15%, 25%, and 35% in the base fluid (water). To analyze the forced convection, the Reynolds number (Re) will be kept at 10,000 to 40,000. The simulation will be developed using the three-dimensional κ−ε turbulence model and energy equations via COMSOL Multiphysics 5.6. The numerical outcomes will be verified using the literature's correlations for the average Nusselt number. It was found that the average Nusselt number at the mid of the channel is increased by increasing the volume fractions of both aluminum oxide and copper, but the rate of increase because of copper is greater than the rate of increase because of aluminum oxide. The study also suggests that to get more benefit from the transport of a hybrid mixture, keep the Reynolds number high. The temperature along the channel length is the function of mean thermal diffusivity, which is directly proportional to the volume fractions of the hybrid mixture.