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Abstract
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In this work, the CFD modeling of laminar convective heat transfer of water-based metal oxide nanofluids in a square cavity were investigated. The continuity, momentum and energy equation governing the proper boundary conditions were solved with finite volume numerical method. Physical properties such as thermal conductivity and viscosity changes due to temperature were studied. The effects of different nanoparticles such as Al2O3, CuO, SiO2 and ZnO in the range of 20 to 60 nm were studied and the results were compared with experimental results. Thus dimensionless numbers of Grashof (Gr), Nusselt (Nu) and Rayleigh (Ra) for different volume fraction were investigated. The results show that, by increasing the concentration from 0.5 to 3 volume percent the heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number increases mobility. Heat transfer enhancement of nanofluids showed an increase of about 20 percent. So the results showed that by increasing the diameter for a given volume fraction increased Nusselt number. In addition, the particles diameter can affect the viscosity of nanofluids. But according to the results, changing the diameter had little impact on the rate of heat transfer.
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