Entropy generation and irreversibility analysis due to steady mixed convection flow in a vertical porous channel

Abstract

Entropy generation and irreversibility distribution due to steady mixed convection flow of a viscous incompressible fluid between two vertical parallel porous plates is investigated in the present study. The mathematical model capturing this physical situation was formulated considering internal heat generation and viscous dissipation within the channel. Combining the viscous dissipation effect with mixed convection lead to nonlinearity of the energy equation as well as coupling of the energy with the momentum equations. Due to the coupling and nonlinearity associated with the energy and momentum equations, obtaining a closed form solution becomes practically infeasible; therefore approximate solutions to the governing equations are obtained using the Homotopy Perturbation Method (HPM). The impacts of the several governing parameters on the velocity, temperature, the entropy generation number including the irreversibility distribution ratio were investigated and discussed. From the course of investigation, it was revealed that entropy generation number decreases near the centre line of the channel and higher near the porous plates. It is also discovered that fluid friction irreversibility dominates entropy generation towards the channels porous walls while heat transfer irreversibility dominates towards the centerline of the channel.