A NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF NANOFLUID FLOW IN RECTANGULAR FINNED MICROCHANNEL

Abstract

A numerical study and parameter optimization was carried out to find the effects of geometric parameters and nanofluid concentration on heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of a finned microchannel. Six dual rectangular fins with different layouts were placed in a single microchannel having rectangular cross section. The hydraulic diameter of the microchannel was kept constant and the length, width and angle of fin between the horizontal axes were determined as parameters. The water was selected as base fluid and the effect of volumetric concentration of nanofluids (Al2O3 (0% to 0.4%)) on fluid flow and heat transfer were investigated. Volumetric concentration of nanofluids and fin geometry was optimized with Response Surface Optimization method for the levels of different parameters and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses (ANSYS Fluent 18) was performed at different flow rates. CFD results calculated for the optimum finned microchannel were compared to those of the straight (finless) microchannel. As a result of the study, nanofluid concentration increment and fins improved the heat transfer and increased the pressure drop.