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This paper is concerned with a similarity solution for mixed-convection boundary layer copper-water nanofluid flow over a horizontal flat plate. Appropriate similarity variables are used to convert the Governing PDEs to ODEs and the resultant equations with the nanofluid properties relations are discretized and solved simultaneously using finite-difference Keller-Box method. The effects of change in plate temperature, the volume fraction of nanoparticles, and the mixed-convection parameter, on friction coefficient, Nusselt number and velocity and temperature profiles are investigated. The results show that, the Nusselt number increases as the mixed-convection parameter and the volume fraction of nanoparticles increases. This enhancement is about 10 percent for the nanofluid with 4% volume fraction of nanoparticles, compared with the pure water. Moreover, in this range the friction coefficient parameter increases about 20 percent. However, the lower the mixed-convection parameter is, the higher the effect of nanoparticles on the friction coefficient increment. The results also illustrate that the effect of the surface temperature on the increment of Nusselt number and on the reduction of friction coefficient is more considerable in higher mixed-convection parameter and volume fraction of nanoparticles. Also, by increasing surface temperature, the temperature of nanofluid decreases at any surface distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, mixed convection of TiO2-water nanofluid in a laminar flow within a vertical rectangular duct is investigated numerically. A single phase and a two phase method is applied to simulate nanoparticles dispersion in the base fluid. An Euler-Lagrange approach is employed to track particles individually. In this approach, the base fluid is assumed to be a continuous phase while the particles are dispersed through it. The presence of particles in the base fluid is modeled as a source term in the momentum and energy equations. Governing equations are discretized using Control Volume based Finite Element Method (CVFEM). Effects of nanoparticles concentration, particles size, aspect ratio of cross section, asymmetrical boundary condition and buoyancy on the hydrodynamics and thermal parameters are presented and discussed. It is observed that increasing nanoparticles concentration enhances heat transfer rate and this enhancement is more considerable in higher aspect ratios. Also, at smaller values of Richardson number (Ri) where the effect of forced convection is more than natural convection, dispersion of nanoparticles in the base fluid improves heat transfer rate more considerably. Whilst an improvement in convective heat transfer is shown to be more than 6.5% at Ri=0.5, it does not exceed 4% at Ri = 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]