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The passive feature of natural convection encourages continuous investigation on this field. This research work studies the natural convection inside a cavity of wavy vertical surfaces, including a heat source block standing on the base of cavity. The employed liquid is a hybrid water–Cu–Al 2 O 3 nanofluid. The vertical wavy surfaces are fixed at low temperature, while the heat source remains constant at a higher temperature. The Galerkin finite element method is applied to obtain the numerical solutions. Besides the common visualization tools, the heatlines tool is used in this paper as well. It is found from the outcomes that the Nusselt number is purely proportional to the length of the heat source. In addition, the hybrid water–Cu–Al 2 O 3 nanofluid exhibits a higher Nusselt number than that corresponding to a pure water and as well as other regular nanofluids. The percentages of the average heat transfer gained by the hybrid nanofluid at ϕ = 0.02 are 13.7% and 5% higher than those for pure water and other nanofluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A numerical study is conducted to analyze the effects of a flexible fin on unsteady convective flow in a square enclosure composed of a vertical fluid layer and a porous layer. The fin is attached to the heated left wall of the enclosure. The Brinkman-Forchheimer-extended Darcy flow model is assumed in the porous layer. The governing equations are written in the Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) formulation in the fluid and structure domains and then solved using the FEM. The result shows that the fin oscillation impacts the area below the fin rather than the area above the fin or the area in the center. The overall rate of heat transfer is improved as the Darcy number, the fluid layer thickness, and the fin elasticity increase. The overall rate of heat transfer increases exponentially with the rise of the oscillation amplitude. An oscillation amplitude of 0.1 could result in 3.4 percent improvement in the heat transfer rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • FEM was employed to solve the governing equations subject to the boundary conditions. • Two-phase nanofluid model in a wavy cavity with conductive inner block is considered. • Comparisons with previously experimental and numerical published results are provided. • A selection of optimal number of oscillations can enhance the heat transfer inside the cavity. Abstract By employing the finite element method, thermophoresis and Brownian diffusion are studied numerically relating to the natural convection in a wavy cavity that is filled with an Al 2 O 3 -water nanofluid possessing a central heat-conducting solid block that is influenced by the local heater located on the bottom wall. An isothermal condition is established in the two wavy vertical walls, while adiabatic condition is for the top horizontal wall. Partial heating is applied to the bottom of the horizontal wall, while the remaining part remains in the adiabatic condition. Empirical correlations are employed for the thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity of the nanofluid. The number of oscillations (1 ⩽ N ≤ 4), Rayleigh number ( 10 3 ⩽ Ra ≤ 10 6 ), nanoparticles volume fraction (0 ⩽ ϕ ≤ 0.04) and dimensionless length of the bottom heater (0.2 ⩽ H ⩽ 0.8) govern the parameters in this study. The grid independency test, as well as experimental and numerical data from other published works, was employed to validate the developed computational code comprehensively. Based on the obtained results, it was found that the heat transfer inside the cavity is enhanced by introducing nanoparticles as well as a selection of optimal number of oscillations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of darcian natural convection in inclined square cavity partially filled between the central square hole filled with fluid and inside a square porous cavity filled with nanofluid is numerically studied using the finite element m ethod. The left vertical wall is maintained at a constant hot temperature Th and the right vertical wall is maintained at a constant cold temperature Tc, while the horizontal walls are adiabatic. The governing equations are obtained by applying the Darcy model and Boussinesq approximation. COMSOL's finite element method is used to solve the non-dimensional governing equations together with the specified boundary c onditions. The governing parameters of this study are the Rayleigh number (103 ⩽ Ra ⩽ 107), the Darcy number (10-5 ⩽ Da ⩽ 10-3), the fluid layer thickness (0:4 ⩽ S ⩽ 0:8) and the inclination angle of the cavity ( 0° ⩽ ω ⩽ 6 0°). The results for the values of the governing parameters in terms of the streamlines, isotherms and average Nusselt number will be presented. The convection is shown to be inhibited by the presence of the hole insert. The thermal property of the insert and the size have opposite influence on the convection. The results have possible applications in heat-removal and heat-storage fluid-saturated porous systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a non-standard finite difference scheme is proposed for solving a steady finite Rayleigh number convection in a porous cavity with an inclined magnetic field and non-uniform internal heating. Numerical results are compared with the classical finite difference scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of nonuniform heating and a finite wall thickness on natural convection in a square porous cavity based on the local thermal nonequilibrium (LTNE) model are studied numerically using the finite difference method (FDM). The finite-thickness horizontal wall of the cavity is heated either uniformly or nonuniformly, and the vertical walls are maintained at constant cold temperatures. The top horizontal insulated wall allows no heat transfer to the surrounding. The Darcy law is used along with the Boussinesq approximation for the flow. The results of this study are obtained for various parametric values of the Rayleigh number, thermal conductivity ratio, ratio of the wall thickness to its height, and the modified conductivity ratio. Comparisons with previously published work verify good agreement with the proposed method. The effects of the various parameters on the streamlines, isotherms, and the weighted-average heat transfer are shown graphically. It is shown that a thicker bottom solid wall clearly inhibits the temperature gradient which then leads to the thermal equilibrium case. Further, the overall heat transfer is highly affected by the presence of the solid wall. The results have possible applications in the heat-storage fluid-saturated porous systems and the applications of the high power heat transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The problem of unsteady natural convection induced by a temperature difference between a cold outer square enclosure and a hot inner circular cylinder is studied in this paper. The cylinder temperature is assumed to vary sinusoidally with time about a fixed mean temperature. The coupled momentum and energy equations have been solved numerically over a wide range of values of the amplitude and the frequency of the source temperature signal, as well as the source radius. It is found that the heat transfer rate tends to increase by oscillating the source temperature signal. The maximum heat transfer augmentation was obtained for frequency between 25π and 30π for a high amplitude and a moderate source radius. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Natural convection heat transfer in a rotating, differentially heated enclosure is studied numerically in this paper taking into consideration the Forchheimer–Brinkman-extended Darcy model. The enclosure is filled with a fluid-saturated porous medium and executes a steady counterclockwise angular velocity about its longitudinal axis. The staggered grid arrangement together with the Marker and Cell (MAC) method was employed to solve the governing equations. The governing parameters considered are the porosity, 0.4≤ ϵ ≤0.99, the Darcy number, 0.005≤ Da ≤0.01 and the Taylor number, 8.9×104 ≤ Ta ≤3.8×105, and the centrifugal force is assumed weaker than the Coriolis force. It is found that higher porosities have weaker flow circulation when the Coriolis effect is smaller than the buoyancy effect. The global quantity of the heat transfer rate increases by increasing the porosity and the Darcy number and decreases by increasing the Taylor number. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Heat transfer enhancement utilizing nanofluids in a trapezoidal enclosure is investigated for various pertinent parameters. Transport equations are modelled by a stream-vorticity formulation and solved numerically by finite difference approach. The inclined sloping boundaries is treated by adopting staircase-like zigzag lines. Based upon the numerical predictions, the effects of Grashof number, inclination angle of the sloping wall, volume fraction of nanoparticles on flow and temperature patterns as well as the heat transfer rate within the enclosure are presented. Water–Cu and water–Al2O3 nanofluids were tested. We found that acute sloping wall and Cu nanoparticles with high concentration are effective to enhance the rate of heat transfer. We also developed a new correlation for the average Nusselt number as a function of the angle of the sloping wall, effective thermal conductivity and viscosity as well as Grashof number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of conjugate natural convection of Al 2 O 3 –water nanofluid in a square cavity with concentric solid insert and isothermal corner boundaries using non-homogenous Buongiorno’s two-phase model is studied numerically by the finite difference method. An isothermal heater is placed on the left bottom corner of the square cavity while the right top corner is maintained at a constant cold temperature. The remainder parts of the walls are kept adiabatic. Water-based nanofluids with Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles are chosen for the investigation. The governing parameters of this study are the nanoparticle volume fraction (0 ≤  ϕ  ≤ 0.04), the Rayleigh number (10 2  ≤  Ra  ≤ 10 6 ), thermal conductivity of the solid block ( k w = 0.28 , 0.76, 1.95, 7 and 16) (epoxy: 0.28, brickwork: 0.76, granite: 1.95, solid rock: 7, stainless steel: 16) and dimensionless solid block thickness (0.1 ≤  D  ≤ 0.7). Comparisons with previously experimental and numerical published works verify good agreement with the proposed method. Numerical results are presented graphically in the form of streamlines, isotherms and nanoparticles volume fraction as well as the average Nusselt number and fluid flow rate. The results show that the thermal conductivity ratio and solid block size are very good control parameters for an optimization of heat transfer inside the partially heated and cooled cavity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of natural convection in a trapezoidal cavity partly filled with nanofluid porous layer and partly with non-Newtonian fluid layer is visualized by heatline. Water-based nanofluids with silver or copper or alumina or titania nanoparticles are chosen for investigation. The governing equations are solved numerically using the Finite Volume Method (FVM) over a wide range of Rayleigh number ( Ra = 10 5 and 10 6 ), Darcy number ( 10 - 5 ⩽ Da ⩽ 10 - 1 ), nanoparticle volume fraction ( 0 ⩽ ϕ ⩽ 0.2 ), power-law index ( 0.6 ⩽ n ⩽ 1.4 ), porous layer thickness ( 0.3 ⩽ S ⩽ 0.7 ), the side wall inclination angle ( 0 ° ⩽ φ ⩽ 21.8 ° ) and the inclination angle of the cavity ( 0 ° ⩽ ω ⩽ 90 ° ). Explanation for the influence of various above mentioned parameters on streamlines, isotherms and overall heat transfer is provided on the basis of thermal conductivities of nanoparticles, water and porous medium. It is shown that convection increases remarkably by the addition of silver–water nanofluid and the heat transfer rate is affected by the inclination angle of the cavity variation. The results have possible applications in heat-removal and heat-storage fluid-saturated porous systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Convection in a square cavity with a free surface and heated from the side is visualized and analyzed by the heatline concept. The temperature gradient is applied along the top free surface and the heat balance at the surface is assumed to obey Newton’s law of cooling. The finite difference method has been used to solve the dimensionless governing equations. The governing parameters considered are the Marangoni number (0⩽ Ma ⩽1000), the Biot number (0⩽ Bi ⩽6) and the Prandtl number (0.054⩽ Pr ⩽6.2). The flows of heat and fluid are of a similar type except at a strong cooling condition. The heat transfer performance presents a minimum at Marangoni number of roughly 100, 200 and 600 for the cavity filled with liquid metal, mixture of noble gases and air, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]