Study of Nanofluid Natural Convection in an Inclined L-Shaped Cavity

Abstract

This study has focused on natural convection in an inclined L-shaped cavity filled with copper-water nanofluid. The governing equations including continuity, momentum and energy equations have been discretized with control volume method (FVM) using SIMPLER algorithm. A proper upwinding scheme is employed to obtain stabilized solutions. The effective parameters are solid volume fraction (0≤ φ ≤0.05), inclination angle (0°≤γ≤135°), shape factor (0.6≤2W/L≤1) and Rayleigh number (101≤Ra≤105). Results have been presented as isotherm lines, stream lines, local Nusselt number and average Nusselt number. The effects of Rayleigh number, inclination angle, shape factor as well as solid volume fraction have been investigated on flow field and Nusselt number. Results show that solid volume fraction and shape factor as well as inclination angle have important effect on flow field, especially on average Nusselt number. The results indicate decrease in shape factor and increase in solid volume fraction lead to increase in average Nusselt number.