Numerical investigation of thermal pulsating alumina/water nanofluid flow over three different cross-sectional channel

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the pulsating flow in a three-dimensional channel. Channel flow is laminar and turbulent. After validation, the effect of different channel cross-sectional geometries (circular, hexagonal and triangular) with the pulsating flow are investigated. For this purpose, the alumina nanofluid was considered as a working fluid with different volume percentages (0 per cent [pure water], 3 per cent and 5 per cent).

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the pulsatile flow was investigated in a three-dimensional channel. Channel flow is laminar and turbulent.

Findings

The results show that the fluid temperature decreases by increasing the volume percentage of particles of Al₂O₃; this is because of the fact that the input energy through the wall boundary is a constant value and indicates that with increasing the volume percentage, the fluid can save more energy at a constant temperature. And by adding Al₂O₃ nanofluid, thermal performance improves in channels, but it should be considered that the use of nanofluid causes a pressure drop in the channel.

Originality/value

Alumina/water nanofluid with the pulsating flow was investigated and compared in three different cross-sectional channel geometries (circular, hexagonal and triangular). The effect of different volume percentages (0 per cent [pure water], 3 per cent and 5 per cent) of Al₂O₃ nanofluid on temperature, velocity and pressure are studied.

Citation

Hoseinzadeh, S., Otaghsara, S.M.T., Khatir, M.H.Z. and Heyns, P.S. (2020), "Numerical investigation of thermal pulsating alumina/water nanofluid flow over three different cross-sectional channel", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 30 No. 7, pp. 3721-3735. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-09-2019-0671