Size Effects on the Entropy Production in Oscillatory Flow between Parallel Plates

Abstract

The heat transfer problem of a zero-mean oscillatory flow of a Maxwell fluid between infinite parallel plates with boundary conditions of the third kind is considered. The local and global time-averaged entropy production are computed, and the consequences of convective cooling of the plates are also assessed. It is found that the global entropy production is a minimum for certain suitable combination of the physical parameters and a discrete set of values of the separation between the parallel plates. The transferred heat at the plates also shows minima in the same discrete set of values of the plates separation.