Numerical Simulation of Heat Transfer Characteristics in Curved Pipe Subjected to Nanofluid

Numerical Simulation of Heat Transfer Characteristics in Curved Pipe Subjected to Nanofluid

In this study different nanofluids are numerically simulated in curved pipe. The curved pipe is subjected to constant temperature at the wall. The incompressible Navier-Stokes and energy equations are solved in a body fitted coordinates system using a control volume technique. Two different approaches for nanofluids are taken into account: single and two-phase models. Thermophysical properties of Nanofluids are assumed to depend on particles volume fraction and temperature. Heat transfer rate by the use of different nanofluids are compared. Results indicate that using nanofluids increase the heat transfer rate. The proposed results by two phase model are slightly higher than single phase model. The effect of nanofluids concentration on velocity contours and temperature fields are shown. The velocity profiles are not strongly affected by the additional nanoparticle suspension, especially at low concentrations where the addition of small amount of nanoparticles (1%) drastically changes the temperature profiles inside the tube. Using temperature dependant properties results in more heat transfer rate and generates more uniform cross sectional temperature distributions.