Thermodynamic optimization of nanofluid flow over a non-isothermal wedge with nonlinear radiation and activation energy

This paper analyses the augmentation entropy generation number for a viscous nanofluid flow over a non-isothermal wedge including the effects of non-linear radiation and activation energy. We discuss the influence of thermodynamically important parameters during the study, namely, the Bejan number, entropy generation number, and the augmentation entropy generation number. The mathematical formulation for thermal conductivity and viscosity of nanofluid for Al2O3 − EG mixture has been considered. The results were numerically computed using implicit Keller-Box method and depicted graphically. The important result is the change in augmentation entropy generation number with Reynolds number. We observed that adding nanoparticles (volume fraction) tend to enhance augmentation entropy generation number for Al2O3 − EG nanofluid. Further, the investigation on the thermodynamic performance of non-isothermal nanofluid flow over a wedge reveals that adding nanoparticles to the base fluid is effective only when the contribution of heat transfer irreversibility is more than fluid friction irreversibility. This work also discusses the physical interpretation of heat transfer irreversibility and pressure drop irreversibility. This dependency includes Reynolds number and volume fraction parameter. Other than these, the research looked at a variety of physical characteristics associated with the flow of fluid, heat and mass transfer.

Effects of non-uniform nanoparticle concentration on entropy generation

The entropy generation analysis of a thermal process is capable of determining the efficiency of that process and is therefore helpful to optimize the thermal system operating under various conditions. There are several ingredients upon which the phenomenon of entropy generation can depend, such as the nature of flow and the fluid, the assumed conditions, and the material properties of the working fluid. However, the dependence of entropy generation phenomenon upon such properties has so far not been fully realized, in view of the existing literature. On the other hand, based upon the existing studies, it has been established that the non-uniform concentration of nanoparticles in the base fluid does cause to enhance the heat transfer rate. Therefore, it is logical to investigate the entropy production under the impact of non-homogenous distribution of nanoparticles. Based upon this fact the aim of current study is to explore a comprehensive detail about the influence of non-homogeneous nanoparticles concentration on entropy production phenomenon by considering a laminar viscous flow past a moving continuous flat plate. Non-uniform concentration is considered in the nanofluid modeling in which the Brownian and thermophoretic diffusions are considered which impart significant effects on velocity and temperature profiles. An exact self-similar solution to this problem is observed to be possible and is reported. The effects of various controlling physical parameters such as Brinkman number, Schmidt number, Prandtl number, diffusion parameter, and concentration parameter on both local as well as total entropy generation number and Bejan number are elaborated by several graphs and Tables. The obtained results reveal a significant impact of all aforementioned parameters on entropy generation characteristics. It is observed that by a 20% increase in nanoparticles concentration the total entropy generation is increased up to 67% for a set of fixed values of remaining parameters.

Heat Transfer Performance of a Novel Microchannel Embedded with Connected Grooves

To improve the heat transfer performance of microchannels, a novel microchannel embedded with connected grooves crossing two sidewalls and the bottom surface (type A) was designed. A comparative study of heat transfer was conducted regarding the performances of type A microchannels, microchannels embedded with grooves on their bottom (including types B and C), or on the sidewalls (type D) as well as smooth rectangular microchannels (type E) via a three-dimensional numerical simulation and experimental validation (at Reynolds numbers from 118 to 430). Numerical results suggested that the average Nusselt number of types A, B, C, and D microchannels were 106, 73.4, 50.1, and 12.6% higher than that of type E microchannel, respectively. The smallest synergy angle β and entropy generation number Ns,a were determined for type A microchannels based on field synergy and nondimensional entropy analysis, which indicated that type A exhibited the best heat transfer performance. Numerical flow analysis indicated that connected grooves induced fluid to flow along two different temperature gradients, which contributed to enhanced heat transfer performance.

Impact of Fusion Temperature on Hydrothermal Features of Flow within an Annulus Loaded with Nanoencapsulated Phase Change Materials (NEPCMs) during Natural Convection Process

A new type of nanofluids is nanoencapsulated phase change materials (NEPCMs), where nanoparticles are made of a shell and a core. In the current study, characteristics of free convection flow, entropy generation, and heat transfer of NEPCMs in an enclosure are investigated. The enclosure is an annulus between concentric horizontal circular and square cylinders with a porous medium. The governing equations (i.e., continuity, energy, and momentum) are written in the nondimensional form and then numerically solved by the control volume finite element method (CVFEM). The results of the validation are in good agreement with those of the literature. The effects of decision variables on the entropy generation number and the average Nusselt number are investigated. The outcomes discovered that there is a maximum for Nu ave and a minimum for N gen at θ f = 0.4 for each value of the Stefan number. Also, Nu ave and ECOP increase by 8.8% and 24.8%, respectively, while N gen decreases by 12.8% when ϕ increases from 0 (pure fluid) to 0.05 at θ f = 0.4 .

Effect of Wavy Wall and Plate Bifurcations On Heat Transfer Enhancement in Microchannel

Miniaturization of electronic components requires compact and effective cooling techniques to dissipate large heat flux without significant increase in pumping power. Microchannel heat sink with liquid as working fluid is a suitable technique for the purpose. In the present study, heat transfer characteristics in presence of vertical bifurcation placed in the downstream of the microchannel passage is studied numerically. Six types of bifurcating plates are considered under two categories: (i) thick-plate and (ii) wavy thin-wall. Water is taken as the working fluid and the flow rate has been varied in the Reynolds number range, 100 = Re = 1000.The effect of bifurcations on pressure drop, heat transfer and the overall thermal resistance are analyzed and compared with those of plane microchannel without bifurcation. The numerical results show that the usage of bifurcation in the microchannel reduces the overall thermal resistance. Field synergy number, entropy generation number and hydro-thermal performance index are calculated to quantify the overall performance improvement in the microchannel with bifurcations. Constant wavy thin-wall bifurcation has been found to improve the overall performance of the microchannel. The detailed geometry of the bifurcation, the resulting convective heat transfer characteristics and percentage improvement in the performance are reported.

Parametric study of heat transfer performance including entropy generation of microchannel heat sink with fan cavity and different rib structure

This numerical study investigates the simultaneous application of axial wall conduction effect and entropy generation minimization as two principles to identify heat transfer performance in a microchannel heat sink with fan cavity and ribs. In this conjugate analysis, three different materials for a microchannel heat sink considered are silicon, aluminium, and copper. In addition to the fan cavity (F), effects of different rib configurations arranged symmetrically inside the fan cavity, that is, backward triangle rib (FB), rectangular rib (FR), forward triangle rib (FF), and diamond rib (FD) with Reynolds numbers ranging from 136 to 588 are studied. The comparative study between silicon and copper in terms of local wall and bulk fluid temperatures, increment in solid wall to fluid thermal conductivity ratio within the range (247.07 < ksf < 669.44), local Nusselt number (Nu x), axial conduction number (M), and entropy generation number ( Ns, a) were furnished and examined. Structural optimization is performed on diamond rib configuration geometrical parameters to observe entropy generation number and wall conduction effects trend as thermal performance is greatly improved to 2.49, at the lowest Ns, a to 0.31 at Re 391.47, with copper in the back to back cavities case. However based on the numerical results, comparative importance of axial wall conduction effect consideration in the present design of microsink, silicon is showing best results in overcoming at Re 588.4, consistently in all optimization cases.

Entropy Generation Analysis and Radiated Heat Transfer in MHD (Al2O3-Cu/Water) Hybrid Nanofluid Flow

This research concerns the heat transfer and entropy generation analysis in the MHD axisymmetric flow of Al2O3-Cu/H2O hybrid nanofluid. The magnetic induction effect is considered for large magnetic Reynolds number. The influences of thermal radiations, viscous dissipation and convective temperature conditions over flow are studied. The problem is modeled using boundary layer theory, Maxwell’s equations and Fourier’s conduction law along with defined physical factors. Similarity transformations are utilized for model simplification which is analytically solved with the homotopy analysis method. The h-curves upto 20th order for solutions establishes the stability and convergence of the adopted computational method. Rheological impacts of involved parameters on flow variables and entropy generation number are demonstrated via graphs and tables. The study reveals that entropy in system of hybrid nanofluid affected by magnetic induction declines for [...]

Numerical Treatment for the Second Law Analysis in Hydromagnetic Peristaltic Nanomaterial Rheology: Endoscopy Applications

In current study, analysis is presented for peristaltic motion of applied magnetic field and entropy generation within couple stress (Cu/H2O) nanofluid through an endoscope. An endoscope contains two coaxial cylindrical tubes in which the internal tube is nonflexible while the external tube has sinusoidal wave passing through the boundary. Influences of mixed convection along with applied magnetic field are encountered as well. Formulated governing model is fabricated introducing long wavelength and creeping Stokesian flow approximation which are then analyzed numerically by utilizing Adams Bashforth method. For a physical insight, results are demonstrated to examine the behaviors of flow profiles and entropy generation number for emerging flow parameters with the help of graphs, bar-charts and tables.

Thermodynamic Performance Study on the Novel Efficient Flow Pattern Global Construction Evaporator

To improve in-tube evaporation heat transfer at low quality, a novel evaporator based on efficient flow pattern global construction heat transfer enhancement mechanism is built, called the efficient flow pattern global construction evaporator (EFGE). The numerical analysis and experimental study of the thermodynamic performance of the EFGE are performed. Results show that the evaporation heat transfer coefficient (HTC) of the EFGE is 0.34–1.04 times that of a common parallel flow evaporator (PFE) and the pressure drop of the EFGE is only 80–116% of that of a common PFE at quality 0.9. The theoretical nonuniformity of the evaporation HTC between low- and high-quality flow is approximately 12–67%, which 55–72% of the pressure drop. The numerical analysis results are in good agreement with the finding that the EFGE has better thermodynamic performance than the PFE in terms of friction power reduction and minimum entropy generation number.

Performance evaluation and entropy generation of chevron-type plate-fin equipped with ribs and holes

The complexity caused by an enhanced technique may significantly enhance the heat transfer along with a penalty in the pressure drop. Thus, it is needed to assess the counteracting effects between the enhanced heat transfer and the augmented pressure drop in practical applications. In order to comprehensively evaluate the hydrothermal performance of the chevron-type plate-fin (CTPF) equipped with ribs and holes, this study focuses on the relationship between hydraulic and thermal characteristics. Firstly, the relationship between the Colburn factor and the friction factor is presented, then two performance indexes are applied using these factors to evaluate the use of ribs and holes in the CTPIt F is found that the simultaneous use of ribs and holes shows better overall performances as compared with the use of ribs or holes individually. At the same geometrical parameters, the highest values of 1.52 and 1.07 are recorded for these performance indexes. In order to further improve the overall performance of the CTPF, the effects of geometrical parameters are also investigated. With the decrease of corrugation amplitude ( a) and the increase of corrugation length ( l), rib height ( h), and rib thickness ( t), the CTPF performs better overall performances. And, for the models with different levels of hole width ( w), the better performance is seen when this parameter is at the middle level. However, in the studied models, the best overall hydrothermal performance is detected for the model with a = 2.5 mm, l = 60 mm, h = 2.5 mm, t = 10 mm, and w = 10 mm, and highest performance indexes of 2.52 and 1.15 are reported for this model. Likewise, an entropy generation analysis is carried out, and the obtained results are discussed based on the Bejan number and entropy generation number. The results show that the increase of Reynolds number can lead to decrease of Bejan number and to increase of entropy generation number. For Reynolds number ranging from 4000 to 10000, the best model, which is described above, shows 17% decrease in the entropy generation number comparing with the reference model. Finally, two correlations are developed to predict the Bejan number and entropy generation number of the current study.