Numerical study of natural convection of nanofluid in a semi-circular cavity with lattice Boltzmann method

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to apply the lattice Boltzmann method to investigate the natural convection flows utilizing nanofluids in a semicircular cavity. The fluid in the cavity is a water-based nanofluid containing Al₂O₃ or Cu nanoparticles.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has been carried out for the Rayleigh numbers from 104 to 106 and the solid volume fraction from 0 to 0.05. The effective thermal conductivity and viscosity of nanofluid are calculated by the models of Chon and Brinkman, respectively. The effects of solid volume fraction on hydrodynamic and thermal characteristics are investigated and discussed. The averaged and local Nusselt numbers, streamlines, temperature contours for different values of solid volume fraction and Rayleigh number are illustrated.

Findings

The results indicate that more solid volume fraction corresponds to more averaged Nusselt number for both types of nanofluids. It is also found that the effects of solid volume fraction of Cu are stronger than those of Al₂O₃.

Originality/value

Numerical study of natural convection of nanofluid in a semi-circular cavity with lattice Boltzmann method in the presence of water-based nanofluid containing Al₂O₃ or Cu nanoparticles.

Citation

Nazarafkan, H., Mehmandoust, B., Toghraie, D. and Karimipour, A. (2020), "Numerical study of natural convection of nanofluid in a semi-circular cavity with lattice Boltzmann method", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 30 No. 5, pp. 2625-2637. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-11-2018-0686