Numerical Simulation of the Thermally Developed Pulsatile Flow of a Hybrid Nanofluid in a Constricted Channel

Abstract

Heat transfer analysis of the pulsatile flow of a hybrid nanofluid through a constricted channel under the impact of a magnetic field and thermal radiation is presented. Hybrid nanofluids form a new class of nanofluids, distinguished by the thermal properties and functional utilities for improving the heat transfer rate. The behaviors of a water-based copper nanofluid and water-based copper plus a single-wall carbon nanotube, i.e., (Cu–SWCNT/water), hybrid nanofluid over each of velocity, wall shear stress, and temperature profiles, are visualized graphically. The time-dependent governing equations of the incompressible fluid flow are transformed to the vorticity-stream function formulation and solved numerically using the finite difference method. The laminar flow simulations are carried out in 2D for simplicity as the flow profiles are assumed to vary only in the 2D plane represented by the 2D Cartesian geometry. The streamlines and vorticity contours are also shown to demonstrate the flow behviour along the channel. For comparison of the flow characteristics and heat transfer rate, the impacts of variations in Hartmann number, Strouhal number, Prandtl number, and the thermal radiation parameter are analyzed. The effects of the emerging parameters on the skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number are also examined. The hybrid nanofluid is demonstrated to have better thermal characteristics than the traditional one.

Pulsatile nanofluid flow with variable pressure gradient and heat transfer in wavy channel

“…The boundary of the channel wavy walls is expressed by: where is the longitudinal axis of the channel, is the height of the wall constriction, is the half width of the channel, is the length of wall constriction. Under the above considerations, the governing equations for conservative momentum and energy in general form are expressed as follow 33 , 54 , 56 :

Figure 1 A schematic diagram for the flow geometry.

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“…The wall boundary conditions for the porous channel under the no-slip condition can be expressed in the following manner 16 , 54 : where are the velocity components of the nanofluid in directions respectively, is the nanofluid pressure, , are the nanofluid density and kinematic viscosity respectively, is the electrical conductivity, is the uniform magnetic field, is the temperature of nanofluid, is the specific heat capacity of the nanofluid, is the thermal conductivity of the nanofluid, is the radiative heat flux, is the heat source/sink parameter, and refers to the time.…”

“…Their remarkable adsorption capabilities make them highly beneficial in clinical applications for transporting drugs, proteins, and other substances to specific cellular targets. Previous studies 47 – 54 have thoroughly examined the impact of nanoparticles in various scenarios. Ellahi et al 55 explored mixed convection nanofluid flow over a wedge, considering particle shape effects.…”