MHD natural convection of Cu/H ₂O nanofluid in a horizontal semi-cylinder with a local triangular heater

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate free convection of copper-water nanofluid in an upper half of circular horizontal cylinder with a local triangular heater under the effects of uniform magnetic field and cold cylinder shell using control volume finite element method (CVFEM).

Design/methodology/approach

Governing equations formulated in dimensionless stream function, vorticity and temperature variables using the single-phase nanofluid model with Brinkman correlation for the effective dynamic viscosity and Hamilton and Crosser model for the effective thermal conductivity have been solved numerically by CVFEM.

Findings

The impacts of control parameters such as the Rayleigh number, Hartmann number, nanoparticles volume fraction, local triangular heater size, shape factor on streamlines and isotherms as well as local and average Nusselt numbers have been examined. The outcomes indicate that the average Nusselt number is an increasing function of the Rayleigh number, shape factor and nanoparticles volume fraction, while it is a decreasing function of the Hartmann number.

Originality/value

A complete study of the free convection of copper-water nanofluid in an upper half of circular horizontal cylinder with a local triangular heater under the effects of uniform magnetic field and cold cylinder shell using CVFEM is addressed.