Numerical analysis of mixed convection in a lid-driven cavity with Cu-water nanofluid using artificial compressibility method

Abstract

In this paper, we present a computational model based on an artificial compressibility method to study mixed convection in a lid-driven square cavity containing Cu-water nanofluid for two cases: i) adiabatic vertical walls and horizontal walls kept at constant temperature, and ii) adiabatic horizontal walls and sinusoidal temperature heating along vertical walls. The artificial compressibility method is used to couple pressure and velocity, and solve the momentum and continuity equations. This method is used because of its simplicity in solving steady state incompressible flow problems. The streamlines, isotherms, variation of local Nusselt number at hot walls, and variation of average Nusselt number with change in Cu-nanoparticle concentration are presented. Also, the variation of local Nusselt number with change in Richardson number (0.1 < Ri < 10), keeping Grashof number constant (Gr = 100), is obtained. For both cases, it is found that heat transfer increases with increase in Cu-nanoparticle concentration, keeping Richardson number constant, and also with a decrease in Richardson number, keeping Grashof number constant. � 2018 by the authors of the abstracts.