Superlattices and Microstructures 52 (2012) 312325

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Superlattices and Microstructures

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/superlattices

Numerical investigation of natural convection heat transfer

of nanouids in a C shaped cavity
Resam Dehnavi a,, Abdollah Rezvani b
a
b

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imam Khomeini University, Nowshahr, Iran

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 30 March 2011
Received in revised form 4 May 2012
Accepted 7 May 2012
Available online 17 May 2012
Keywords:
Finite volume method
Nusselt number
Grashf number
Nanoparticle

a b s t r a c t
This paper analyzes the heat transfer and uid ow of natural
convection in a C shaped enclosure lled with Al2O3/Water nanouid that operates under differentially heated walls. The Navier
Stokes and energy equations are solved numerically. Heat transfer
and uid ow are examined for parameters of non-uniform
nanoparticle size, mean nanoparticle diameter, nanoparticle volume fraction, Grashof number and different geometry of enclosure.
Finite volume method is used for discretizating positional expressions, and the forth order Rung-Kuta is used for discretizating time
expressions. Also an articial compressibility technique was
applied to couple continuity to momentum equations. Results
indicate that using nanouid causes an increase in the heat transfer
and the Nusselt number so that for R = 0.001 in Gr = 103, the
Nusselt number 25%, in Gr = 104 26%, and in Gr = 105 28% increases.
Furthermore; by decreasing the mean diameters of nanoparticles,
Nusselt number increases. By increasing R parameter (dp,min/dp,max)
and nano particle volume fraction, Nusselt number increases.
2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Fluids are essential for heat transfer in many engineering equipments. Low thermal conductivity of
conventional heat transfer uids such as water, oil, and ethylene glycol mixture is a serious limitation
in improving the performance and compactness of these engineering equipments. To overcome this
disadvantage, there is strong motivation to develop advanced heat transfer uids with substantially
higher conductivity. One way is to adding small solid particles in the uid. For example, using
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: resamdehnavi@yahoo.com (R. Dehnavi).
0749-6036/$ - see front matter 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.spmi.2012.05.006

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313

Nomenclature
c
cp
Df
df
dp
Gr
g
h
w
h0
w0
k
L
Nu
Nu
Pr
R
Ra
T
t
u, v
U; V
x; y
X; Y

empirical constant
specic heat at constant pressure (Kj Kg1 K1)
fractal dimension
uid molecular diameter (m)
mean nanoparticle diameter (m)
f T H  T L H3 =v 2
Grashof number (g b
f
gravitational acceleration (ms2)
dimensionless height of step
dimensionless wide of step
height of step (m)
wide of step (m)
thermal conductivity of the uid (Wm1 K1)
cavity width and height (m)
local Nusselt number
average Nusselt number
Prandtl number (vf/af)
ratio of minimum to maximum nanoparticles (dp,min/dp,max)
Rayleigh number (Pr.Gr)
temperature
time
velocity components along x; y axes (ms1)
dimensionless velocity components along x; y axes
Cartesian coordinates
dimensionless Cartesian coordinates

Greek symbols
a
thermal diffusivity (m2 s1)
b
articial compressibility

b
thermal expansion coefcient (k1)
n
dimensionless time
h
dimensionless temperature
U
solid volume fraction
q
density (Kg m3)
l
dynamic viscosity (Kg m1 s1)
Subscripts
c
cold
eff
effective
f
uid
H
hot
max
maximum
min
minimum
nf
nanouid
P
nanoparticle
s
solid

Al2O3 particles having a mean diameter of 13 nm at 4.3% volume fraction increased the thermal
conductivity of water under stationary conditions by 30% [1]. An increasing number of experimental
investigations have demonstrated that nanouids can dramatically increase the effective thermal conductivity of the base uid [212].
Analysis of natural convection heat transfer and uid ow in enclosures has been extensively made
using numerical techniques, experiments because of its wide applications and interest in engineering,

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such as nuclear energy, double pane windows, heating and cooling of buildings, solar collectors,
electronic cooling, and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). Further applications are listed by
Ostrach, Bejan and Khalifa Bdul-Jabbar [1315].
Firuzfar et al. [16] investigated energy saving in HVAC systems using nanouid. They found using
methanol-silver nanouid, leads to energy saving around 8.831.5% for cooling and 18100% for
reheating the supply air stream in an air conditioning system. Oztop et al. [17] analyzed steady state
natural convection in an enclosure lled with a nanouid numerically. They found that the addition
of nanoparticles into water affects the uid ow and temperature distribution especially for higher
Rayleigh numbers. Putra et al. [18] conducted the experiment for observation on the natural convective characteristics of water based Al2O3 nanouids. They reported that the presence of nanoparticles suspended in base uid systematically deteriorates the natural convective heat transfer with
increasing nanoparticle concentration. Chon et al. [19] reported an experimental correlation for
the thermal conductivity of Al2O3 as a function of nanoparticles size and uid temperature. They
showed that the Brownian motion of nanoparticles constitutes a key mechanism of the thermal conductivity enhancement with increasing temperature and decreasing nanoparticles size. Fazeli et al.
investigated heat transfer in a miniature heat sink utilizing silica nanouid experimentally and
numerically [20]. Their results showed that dispersing SiO2 nanoparticles in water signicantly increased the overall heat transfer coefcient while thermal resistance of heat sink was decreased
up to 10%. Trisaksri and Wongwises [21] conducted a literature review on the general heat transfer
characteristics of nanouids. Pathipakka and Sivashanmugam [22] studied heat transfer of nanouids in an uniformly heated circular tube tted with helical inserts in laminar ow. Moraveji
et al. investigated convective heat transfer effect on the nanouid ow in the developing region
of a tube with constant heat ux using computational uid dynamics [23]. Sebdani et al. [24] studied effect of nanouid variable properties on mixed convection in a square cavity. Hwang et al. [25]
investigated the buoyancy-driven heat transfer of water-based Al2O3 nanouids in a rectangular cavity. They showed that the ratio of heat transfer coefcient of nanouids to that of base uid is decreased as the size of nanoparticles increases, or the average temperature of nanouids is decreased.
Varol et al. [26] investigated the effects of inclination angle on natural convection in an enclosure
with corner heater. Over the years, considerable researchers have contributed their efforts to investigate the characteristics of ow structure and heat transfer in the rectangular or square enclosures.
Deviating to these basic geometrical, enclosures with different geometries often occur in application.
Due to the lack of information about non-square and rectangular enclosure, this study investigates
the ow eld and heat transfer in a C shaped enclosure that is lled with Al2O3-water nanouid.
Thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity of the nanouid are employed by Xus model [27]
and Jangs model [28], respectively. NavierStokes and energy equations are coupled with the nanoparticle fractal distributions, mean nanoparticle diameters, nanoparticle volume fraction, and Grashof number to produce a systematic description of the phenomenon.

2. Governing equations
This study investigates the ow eld and heat transfer in a C shaped enclosure that is lled with
Al2O3-water nanouid. Fig. 1 shows the schematic of the model with its boundary conditions adopted
in this study. The step is considered as isothermal at higher temperature than two vertical isothermal
walls, the top and bottom walls are adiabatic.
Mathematical equations describing the physical model are based on the following assumptions:
(I) the thermo physical properties are constant except for the density in the buoyancy force
(Boussinesqs hypothesis); (II) the uid phase and nanoparticles are in a thermal equilibrium state;
(III) nanoparticles are spherical; (IV) the nanouid in the cavity is Newtonian, incompressible, and
laminar; and (V) radiation heat transfer between the sides of the cavity is negligible when compared
with the other mode of heat transfer.
The equations of uid motion in the Cartesian coordinate system are written as following (in
dimensionless form):

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315

Fig. 1. Schematic of the model and boundary condition.

Continuity equation

@U @V

0
@X @Y

x-momentum equation:

@U
@U
@U qf @P leff Pr @ 2 U @ 2 U
U
V

@n
@X
@Y
qnf @X qnf v f @X 2 @Y 2

!
2

y-momentum equation:

@V
@V
@V qf @P leff Pr @ 2 V @ 2 V
U
V

@n
@X
@Y
qnf @Y qnf v f @X 2 @Y 2

f Uq b

1  Uqf b
s s
Pr2 Grh
q bf

nf

Energy equation:

@2h

@h
@h
@h anf
U V

@n
@x
@Y
af

@X 2

@2h

!
4

@Y 2

The dimensionless form of equations obtained by using the following parameters:

x
X ;
L

y
Y ;
L

uL

af

vL
af

af t
2

pL2

qf af

T  Tc
Th  Tc

The main parameters in calculating the rate of heat transfer of nanouids are important: heat
capacity, viscosity and thermal conductivity which may be quite different from pure uid.
The effective physical properties of the nanouid in the above equations are:

"

leff

#
 2e
2
dp
lf 1 2:5U 1 g
U3 e 1
L

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This well-validated model is presented by Jang et al. [28] for a uid containing a dilute suspension
of small rigid spherical particles and it accounts for the slip mechanism in nanouids. The empirical
constant e and g are 0.25 and 280 for Al2O3, respectively.
Density:
There is a consensus among researchers in using the law of mixtures in calculation the density of
nanouids. This relationship is as follow:

qnf 1  Uqf Uqs

Heat capacitance:

qcp nf 1  Uqcp f Uqcp s

Thermal diffusivity:

anf

knf
qcp nf

Dimensionless stagnant thermal conductivity:

Research has shown that the thermal conductivity of the nanouid is the function of both the base
uid thermal conductivity and the nanoparticles, also the volumetric density of surface area and the
shape of nanoparticles and distribution volume fraction. This model, introduced by Hamilton and
Crosser (HC model, 1962) [29], considers the nanoparticles in the liquid as stationary.

kstationary ks 2kf  2Ukf  ks

kf
ks 2kf Ukf  ks
knf kstationary kc ks 2kf  2Ukf  ks
Nup df 2  Df Df

c
kf
kf
kf
Pr 1  Df 2
ks 2kf Ukf  ks

10


dmax
dmin

1Df

dmax
dmin

2Df

2
1
1

1
dp

11

Total dimensionless thermal conductivity of nanouids:

This model was proposed by Xu et al. [27] and it has been chosen in this study to describe the thermal conductivity of nanouids. The rst term is the HC model and the second term is the thermal
conductivity based on heat convection due to Brownian motion. C is an empirical constant, which
is relevant to the thermal boundary layer and dependent on different uids (e.g. c = 85 for the deionized water and c = 280 for ethylene glycol) but independent of the type of nanoparticles. Nup is the
Nusselt number for liquid owing around a spherical particle and equals to two for a single particle
in this work. The uid molecular diameter df is taken as 4.5  1010 m for water in present study.
The fractal dimension Df is determined by:

Df 2 

LnU


dp;min
Ln dp;max

12

where dp,max and dp,min are the maximum and minimum diameters of nanoparticles, respectively. With
the given measured ratio of dp,min/dp,max, the minimum and maximum diameters of nanoparticles can
be obtained with mean nanoparticle diameter dp from the statistical property of fractal media.


1
Df  1 dp;min
dp;max
Df
Df  1
dp
Df

dp;max dp
dp;min

3. Nusselt number
For nanouids local Nusselt number (Nu) is dened as:

13

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Nu 

knf @h
kf @n

317

14

where n denoted the normal direction on a plan. The local Nusselt number at the heat wall plane Nux,
Nuy are dened as:

knf
kf
knf
Nuy 
kf

Nux 

@h
@Y
@h
@X

15
16

Therefore, the average Nusselt number is calculated as follow:

1
Nu
h 1  w

Nuy

Nux

17

4. Numerical method
Steady state equations are written as time-dependent, so that the time marching method can be
used for solving equations. Also continuity equation and momentum equations with articial compressibility are coupled together. The base of time marching method is that after discreting time
and position term in all points, an initial guess should be used (note: the initial guess does not have
any effect on permanent state answers, and by applying every arbitrary initial guess the program will
eventually reach to the same response). Then by progressing in time, the amount of quantities at the
next times will be obtained. When we got to the stage that by progressing in time the answers would
not change, steady state answers have been obtained.
Discretizating time and place terms:
Forth order Rung-Kuta is used for discretizating time terms, and nite volume method is used for
discretizating position terms. Applying the nite volume method on the place terms is briey explained below.
4.1. Finite volume method
Continuity equation with the insertion a time term in the following is written:

1 @P @U @V

0
b @n @X @Y

18

where b is articial compressibility factor of uid.

Now the recent equation on the studied cell surface is integrated (cell i; j in Fig. 2) as follow:

Z Z
A

1 @P
dA
b @n


Z Z 
@U @V

dXdY 0
@X @Y
A

Then the surface integral is converted to the line integral by using Greens theorem

dP
b
 GC UdY  v dX
dn
A
Likewise, momentum and energy equations are also integrated on the cell and Greens theorem is
applied on them.
After applying Greens theorem on the continuity, momentum, and energy equations, we will face
with two types of integration: integrals related to convection term and integrals related to the viscose
term.

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Fig. 2. The cell for discretization and averaging.

4.1.1. Integrals related to convection term

For determining the amount of linear integrals related to the convection term, Jameson method is
used [30]. Based on this method on the borders of the cell, averaging scheme is used (see Fig. 2)
Discretization continuity equation:



dP
b 1
1

U i;j U i;j1 Y i1;j  Y i;j U i;j U i1;j Y i1:j1  Y i1;j
dn
A 2
2


b 1
1

U i;j U i1;j Y i;j  Y i;j1 U i;j U i;j1 Y i;j1  Y i;j1
A 2
2


b 1
1

V i;j V i;j1 X i1;j  X i;j V i;j V i1;j X i1:j1  X i1;j

A 2
2


b 1
1

V i;j V i;j1 X i;j1  X i;j1 V i;j V i1;j X i;j  X i;j1

A 2
2

Discretization convection term in the momentum and energy equations is also similar.
4.1.2. Integrals related to viscous terms
In discretization of viscous terms, to omit the need for articial viscosity and for enhancing accuracy, second derivatives are calculated by the averaging Jameson method. For viscous sentences the
averaging method is a new method that has been used in this study. This method, is as follow:
First for all cells routing counterclockwise around the cell and using Green theory the derived
expressions are applied in cell center (Fig. 2).
For example by applying Green theorem on @u
phrase:
@x

GBCDE Udy

UdY

BC

CD

@u
@x

UdY

DE

UdY

EB


at the cell center, can be used the mean value of @U
at the adja@X
n
h i;j 
io
@U
@U
on the borders of the cells (for example: @X BC 0:5 @X i;j @U
@X i;j1

Now by having the amount of

cent cell center instead of

UdY
@U

@X i;j

see Fig. 2).

4.2. The criteria of convergence to the answer
In the present code E = udy  vdx has been considered as the criterion for convergence. Whatever
(E) be close to zero, the answers will be closer to the steady answers, in fact the written equation is the
continuity equation. The number of iterations is intended to satisfy the requirement E < 108.

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319

5. Validation
The validity of the numerical approach has been assessed by grid-independence and by comparisons with the results in the literature. The present problem for a specic situation, for three different
grid (100  100, 150  150, 200  200) has performed. The maximum Nusselt difference between
three listed grids is less than 1%. Finally for saving time and maintaining accuracy 150  150 grid
for the present problem has been found suitable.
As already mentioned, a similar study for the nanouid ow in a C shaped enclosure is not available. Therefore, in order to verify the present model, the C-shaped enclosure has been limited to a
square cavity shape (Fig. 3). As shown in Fig. 3a, the top additional area of the C cavity limits to zero,
when the both dimensions of h and w limit to 1. In these situations, we listed the conducted results for
values of Nu in Table 1. We compared these values with cited values (Ref. [31]). According to deviation
values, one can see that the results obtained from the present model are as good as they were expected to be. Also, in Fig. 3b, the bottom area of the C cavity limits to zero, when the dimensions
of h ? 0 and w ? 1. In these situations, we listed the conducted results for values of Nu in Table 1.
We compared these values with the cited values (Ref. [31]). According to deviation values, it seen that
the results obtained from the present model are as good as they were expected to be.
To be more condent, the code in case the uid inside the chamber be pure uid (air) has been run,
and obtained Nusselt numbers have been compared with reference [32], that results are completely
matched.
According to above comparisons, high accuracy of the numerical method and correctness of the
written code can be ensured.

Fig. 3. Figures for validations. The C-shaped cavity is limited to a square cavity when: (a) h; w ! 1 and (b) h ? 0, w ? 1.

Table 1
Comparing Nusselt number with other references.
Nu
Ref. [31]
Present work
Present work
Present work
Present work
Present work

(w = h = 0.8)
(w = h = 0.9)
(w = h = 1)
(w = 0.9, h = 0.1)
(w = 0.8, h = 0.2)

2.44
2.21
2.35
2.47
2.40
2.27

Deviation with reference (%)

9.4
3.7
1.2
1.6
7.0

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6. Results and discussions

6.1. Articial compressibility factor
For coupling the continuity equation to the momentum equation and for entering pressure to the
continuity equation, articial compressibility factor is used. Since results are considered in the permanent mode, and in the nal state @p
0, the amount of articial compressibility factor has no effect on
@t
results. But it is evident that the amount of articial compressibility factor can be effective in convergence rate. Fig. 4 shows the Error (E) for different values of the articial compressibility parameters
(b). One can see that a good convergence speed has been obtained for different b numbers in different
Rayleigh numbers. It is clear that the optimum b number increases with Rayleigh number increase.
6.2. Considering convergence of the rst order derivatives
As previously mentioned, in this study a new method for calculating the rst order derivatives is
used. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the convergence of the rst order derivatives. In Fig. 5a
the differences in the amount of the rst order derivative for the studied quantities in two consecutive
repetition have been plotted. It is clear from the gure that in the used method the differences of
derivatives of all phrases in two consecutive repetition tend to zero quickly. In Fig. 5a, the meaning

of Res @U
is absolute difference between two successive repeats (for other quantities it is the same).
@X

 

n1
@U
@U n

@U

Res:


@X
@X
@X

19

Fig. 5b shows the amount of Res(Total Ronds) vs. the virtual time.

 
 
 
 
 
@U
@V
@T
@U
@V
@T
Res
Res Res
Res
Res
ResTotal Ronds Res
@X
@X
@X
@Y
@Y
@Y

20

Fig. 4. The history of the mass conservation residues (Res) for different values of the articial compressibility factor.

Fig. 5. Res. rst order derivatives (left), Res. Total Ronds (right).

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321

Fig. 6. Isotherms for Gr = 103 (left), Gr = 104 (middle) and Gr = 105(right).

As it was expected, the value of this quantity tends to zero quickly that shows the rapid convergence
of the used method.
6.3. Isotherms
6.3.1. Isotherms for constant geometry
Isotherms for Gr = 103 to Gr = 105 in dp = 5 nm are plotted in Fig. 6a for R = 0.001 and in Fig. 6b for
R = 0.008 (solid lines stand for nanouids and dot lines for pure uid).
As is obvious from the gure, by increasing Grashof number the distortion of isotherms increases
too, it is due to the increasing buoyancy force and getting stronger convection inside the chamber.
Using nanouid causes the heat transfer and Nusselt number to be increased, So that for R = 0.001
in Gr = 103 Nusselt number 25% in Gr = 104 26% and in Gr = 105 28% increases. Also for R = 0.008 in
Gr = 103 Nusselt number 49%, in Gr = 104 45% and in Gr = 105 48% increases.
Isotherms have been plotted for different Grashof numbers in dp = 200 in Fig. 6c.

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Fig. 7. Isotherms for different geometries in Gr = 104.

6.3.2. The effect of geometry change on isothermal lines

In Fig. 7 isotherms have been plotted for four different geometries in Gr = 104, R = 0.001. Fig. 7a
shows isotherms for h = 0.5, w = 0.75. As can be seen from the gure, for this geometry, isothermal
lines have a lot of distortion, that shows strong and dominant convection in this geometry. Fig. 7b
shows isotherms for h = 0.75, w = 0.5. The isotherms have high distortion in this shape too, that indicates the strong convection inside this shape too. But toward to previous form the distortion is less,
that represents weaker convection than the previous geometry.
Fig. 7c shows isotherms for h = 0.5, w = 0.25 and Fig. 7d shows isotherms for h = 0.75, w = 0.25. As
can be seen from the gure, isotherms are straight and impact, that represents a signicant contribution conduction in these geometries. The strong conduction can be caused by the proximity of hot and
cold walls in the lower chamber.
6.4. Stream lines
Stream lines have been shown in Fig. 8. This reveals that two main circulations are formed. The
main and the larger recirculation cell on the left, occupies region between left vertical wall and the
front face of the step and recirculates clockwise. The second and weaker recirculation cell on the right
is formed over the forward step that is in counter clockwise. As can be seen the direction of rotation of
the both cells is from hot wall to cool wall that it is as expected. By increasing Grashof number, circulation has been stronger because the buoyancy forces have been stronger.

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323

Fig. 8. Streamlines for Gr = 103 (left) and Gr = 105 (right).

Fig. 8b shows the stream lines for R = 0.008, by increasing R, especially in high Grashof numbers,
circulations get stronger.
Fig. 8c shows the streamlines for dp = 200, by increasing the nanoparticle diameter, especially in
high Grashof numbers circulations get weaker.
6.5. Effect of geometry, mean nanoparticle diameter, R parameter and nanoparticle volume fraction on
Nusselt number
Nusselt number is the ratio of convection heat transfer to conduction. If the isotherms re-evaluated,
it will be clear that isotherms in the upper chamber have higher distortion, in fact, in the upper

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Fig. 9. Variations of average Nu numbers with different parameters.

chamber the amount of convection heat transfer is greater. Therefore, whatever the length of steps be
less (h smaller) the upper chamber will be larger and so, the Nusselt number will be larger too. On the
other hand the proximity of hot and cold walls causes strengthening the conduction and weakening
convection, and hence the Nusselt number will reduce. Therefore, whatever the distance of hot and
cold walls becomes more (w larger), Nusselt numbers will be larger too. Fig. 9a shows the changes of
Nusselt number for different geometry, the mentioned subjects are clearly distinguished in the gure.
Fig. 9b shows the average Nusselt number computed with different mean nanoparticle diameters
for various Grashof numbers. By decreasing the mean diameters of nanoparticles from 200 to 5 nm,
the heat transfer with different Grashof numbers increases 21% and 17% for Gr = 103 and Gr = 105,
respectively.
Fig. 9c shows the average Nusselt number computed with different R for various Grashof numbers.
By increasing R parameter from 0.001 to 0.008, the heat transfer with different Grashof numbers increases 19% and 15% for Gr = 103 and Gr = 105, respectively.
Fig. 9d shows the average Nusselt number computed with different nanoparticle volume fraction
for various Grashof numbers. By increasing the mean nanoparticle volume fraction from 0.01 to
0.05, the heat transfer with different Grashof numbers increases 17% and 13% for Gr = 103 and
Gr = 105, respectively.
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