Natural Convection and Entropy Generation in Nanofluid Filled Entrapped Trapezoidal Cavities under the Influence of Magnetic Field

Abstract

In this article, entropy generation due to natural convection in entrapped trapezoidal cavities filled with nanofluid under the influence of magnetic field was numerically investigated. The upper (lower) enclosure is filled with CuO-water (Al2O3-water) nanofluid. The top and bottom horizontal walls of the trapezoidal enclosures are maintained at constant hot temperature while other inclined walls of the enclosures are at constant cold temperature. Different combinations of Hartmann numbers are imposed on the upper and lower trapezoidal cavities. Numerical simulations are conducted for different values of Rayleigh numbers, Hartmann number and solid volume fraction of the nanofluid by using the finite element method. In the upper and lower trapezoidal cavities magnetic fields with different combinations of Hartmann numbers are imposed. It is observed that the averaged heat transfer reduction with magnetic field is more pronounced at the highest value of the Rayleigh number. When there is no magnetic field in the lower cavity, the averaged Nusselt number enhances as the value of the Hartmann number of the upper cavity increases. The heat transfer enhancement rates with nanofluids which are in the range of 10% and 12% are not affected by the presence of the magnetic field. Second law analysis of the system for various values of Hartmann number and nanoparticle volume fractions of upper and lower trapezoidal domains is performed.