Numerical research of nature convective heat transfer enhancement filled with nanofluids in rectangular enclosures

Heat transfer enhancement utilizing nanofluids in a two-dimensional enclosure is investigated for various pertinent parameters. The Khanafer's model is used to analyze heat transfer performance of nanofluids inside an enclosure taking into account the solid particle dispersion. Transport equations are model by a stream function-vorticity formulation and are solved numerically by finite-difference approach. Based upon the numerical predictions, the effects of Rayleigh number (R alpha) and aspect ratio (AR) on the flow pattern and energy transport within the thermal boundary layer are presented. The diameter of the nanoparticle d(p) is taken as 10 nm in nanofluids. The buoyancy parameter is 10(3) <= Ra <= 10(6) and aspect ratios (AR) of two-dimensional enclosure are 1/2, 1, 2. Results show that increasing the buoyancy parameter and volume fraction of nanofluids cause an increase in the average heat transfer coefficient. Finally, the empirical equation was built between average Nusselt number and volume fraction. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.