Afif El Cafsi

Numerical investigation of entropy generation and heat transfer of pulsating flow in a horizontal channel with an open cavity

In this study, the entropy generation and the heat transfer of pulsating air flow in a horizontal channel with an open cavity heated from below with uniform temperature distribution are numerically investigated. A numerical method based on finite volume method is used to discretize the governing equations. At the inlet of the channel, pulsating velocity is imposed for a range of Strouhal numbers Stp from 0 to 1 and amplitude Ap from 0 to 0.5. The effects of the governing parameters, such as frequency and amplitude of the pulsation, Richardson number, Ri, and aspect ratio of the cavity, L/H, on the flow field, temperature distribution, average Nusselt number and average entropy generation, are numerically analyzed. The results indicate that the heat transfer and entropy generation are strongly affected by the frequency and amplitude of the pulsation and this depends on the Richardson number and aspect ratio of the cavity. The pulsation is more effective with the aspect ratio of the cavity L/H = 1.5 in terms of heat transfer enhancement and entropy generation minimization.

Forced convection magnetohydrodynamic Al2O3–Cu/water hybrid nanofluid flow over a backward-facing step

Forced convection hybrid nanofluid flow over a backward-facing step under a non-uniform magnetic field is numerically studied using a finite volume method. The external magnetic source is placed in the step edge. The study is performed for a range of nanoparticles volume fraction, φ, from 0 to 2%, Hartmann number, Ha, from 0 to 50, and Reynolds number, Re, from 100 to 300. Results show that the reattachment length reduces by increasing volume fraction of nanoparticles and by decreasing Reynolds number. The recirculation bubble weakens and the conductive heat transfer mode growth by increasing Hartmann number at weak magnetic field intensity. It totally disappears at high Hartmann number when the convective mode dominates. The average Nusselt number increases by increasing volume fraction of nanoparticles and varies with the Hartmann number. The effects of Lorentz force and hybrid nanoparticles on the heat transfer enhancement rates are strongly linked with volume fraction of nanoparticles and Hartmann and Reynolds numbers.

Thermodynamic optimisation of rectangular and elliptical microchannels with nanofluids

The thermodynamic optimisation of laminar flow in rectangular and elliptical microchannels subjected to low or high heat flux is analytically studied. Two mathematical models are developed, by incorporating the aspect ratio term, to evaluate entropy generation numbers. Two relations for calculating the conductivity and the viscosity of CuO-water nanofluids, based on experimental data from literature, are proposed. An entropy generation analysis is proposed to optimise the geometry of the microchannel and the working fluid for each heat flux condition. It has been revealed that at low heat flux, using water in microchannels with aspect ratio e = 1 is more efficient. However, at high heat flux, it is more advisable to use microchannels with the smallest possible aspect ratio containing CuO-water nanofluids with higher conductivity and higher nanoparticles concentration. For the two cases, the rectangular microchannel reaches the minimum value of total entropy generation number compared to the elliptical microchannel.