article · Journal of Advanced Research in Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences
This research evaluates how enclosure orientation and convective boundary conditions influence natural convection heat transfer in systems using nanofluids. Using a two-dimensional Lattice Boltzmann numerical model, simulations were conducted on an aluminium oxide and water nanofluid inside a square enclosure. The analysis compared two distinct orientations via a 90-degree rotation, testing active walls arranged either parallel or orthogonal to the direction of gravity. The study evaluated thermal behaviour across varied Rayleigh numbers, Biot numbers, and nanoparticle concentrations ranging from zero to six percent. The findings demonstrate that nanofluid viscosity noticeably affects thermal performance. Furthermore, configuring the active walls parallel to gravity, with heating at the bottom and cooling at the top, enhances the average Nusselt number by 10.5 percent compared to the alternate setup.
Managing heat effectively is vital for numerous engineering applications. By showing that a simple physical rotation can improve heat transfer by more than ten percent, this study helps clarify how equipment geometry and orientation interact with advanced heat transfer fluids. These insights assist engineers in predicting fluid behaviour and optimising thermal layouts without necessarily requiring additional energy inputs.
The findings can inform engineers and equipment manufacturers seeking to optimise the design of nanofluid-based heating and cooling systems. Because the research is based entirely on numerical simulations of a simplified square enclosure, it represents early-stage research that requires physical experimentation and prototyping before direct integration into commercial thermal management products.
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The orientation of thermal systems and the nature of convective boundary conditions significantly affect their thermal performance, particularly in the presence of nano-enhanced heat transfer fluids. In this study, the effect of enclosure orientation on heat transfer characteristics is investigated for a cooling nanofluid (Al₂O₃/water) in a square enclosure. Two configurations are analyzed, where the active walls are either parallel or orthogonal to the direction of gravity, by considering a 90° rotation of the baseline enclosure. The governing conservation equations are solved numerically. The D2Q9 two-dimensional Lattice Boltzmann model is employed to simulate heat transfer and fluid flow. The influence of key parameters is examined, including the Rayleigh number (Ra = 10³, 10⁴, 10⁵, 10⁶), nanoparticle volume fraction (ɸ = 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%), and Biot number (Bi = 0.5, 5, 50, 100). The results highlight the impact of nanofluid viscosity on thermal performance. Moreover, the configuration with active walls parallel to gravity-featuring a heated bottom wall and a cooled top wall-yields a 10.5% higher average Nusselt number. These findings contribute to the design of more efficient nanofluid-based cooling and heating systems.
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DOI: 10.37934/arfmts.131.2.198220
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