Thermal flow of fluid with magnetic particles in the presence of magnetic field

A magnetic fluid is a stable colloidal solution composed of magnetic particles, surfactant, and a carrier fluid. Magnetic fluids have numerous applications. In this study, we used the computational fluid dynamics model to simulate the behavior of a magnetic fluid in a 2-D square under different conditions such as different positions and intensities of the magnetic source. The preliminary model was established and used in conjunction with experimental data obtained from a present study, in order to determine the influence of particle size and mass fraction on fluid behavior. Our results show that particles with a smaller size have better ability to dissipate heat, and a larger mass fraction would provide a stronger driving force which leads to the velocity and temperature profile. We anticipate that our model would be useful to develop newer applications of magnetic fluids and magnetic flow. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.