Numerical Assessment of Dipole Interaction with the Single-Phase Nanofluid Flow in an Enclosure: A Pseudo-Transient Approach

Materials (Basel). 2022 Apr 9;15(8):2761. doi: 10.3390/ma15082761.

Abstract

Nanofluids substantially enhance the physical and thermal characteristics of the base or conducting fluids specifically when interacting with the magnetic field. Several engineering processes like geothermal energy extraction, metal casting, nuclear reactor coolers, nuclear fusion, magnetohydrodynamics flow meters, petrochemicals, and pumps incorporate magnetic field interaction with the nanofluids. On the other hand, an enhancement in heat transfer due to nanofluids is essentially required in various thermal systems. The goal of this study is to figure out that how much a magnetic field affects nanofluid flow in an enclosure because of a dipole. The nanofluid is characterized using a single-phase model, and the governing partial differential equations are computed numerically. A Pseudo time based numerical algorithm is developed to numerically solve the problem. It can be deduced that the Reynolds number and the magnetic parameter have a low effect on the Nusselt number and skin friction. The Nusselt number rises near the dipole location because of an increase in the magnetic parameter Mn and the Reynolds number Re. The imposed magnetic field alters the region of high temperature nearby the dipole, while newly generated vortices rotate in alternate directions. Furthermore, nanoparticle volume fraction causes a slight change in the skin friction while it marginally reduces the Nusselt number.

Keywords: dipole; enclosure; magnetic field; nanofluids; pseudo-transient approach.