MHD effect on conjugate heat transfer in a nanofluid filled rectangular enclosure

Abstract

In the present research a numerical solution has been carried out to investigate the problem of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) conjugate natural convection flow in a rectangular enclosure filled with copper water nanofluid. The relevant governing equations have been solved numerically by using finite element method of Galerkin weighted residual approach. The investigation uses a two dimensional rectangular enclosure with heat conducting vertical wall and uniform heat flux. The effect of Hartmann number on the parameter Rayleigh number, divider position and solid volume fraction of nano particles on the flow and temperature fields are examined for the range of Hartmann number (Ha) of 0 to 60. Parametric studies of the fluid flow and heat transfer performance of the enclosure for the pertinent parameters have also been performed. The numerical results have been provided in graphical form of streamlines and isotherms for various dimensionless parameters. It is found that the heat transfer rate increases with an increase of Rayleigh number and divider position but it decreases with an increase of the Hartmann number. It is also obtained that an increase of the solid volume fraction enhances the heat transfer performance. Finally, the implications of the above parameters have been depicted on the average Nusselt number of the fluid.