Hybrid-nanofluid Flow through Partially Porous Wavy Channels: Thermo-hydraulic Performance and Entropy Analysis

Comprehensive numerical simulations are made to examine the combined effect of three distinct passive techniques: partial porous insert, corrugated walls, and hybrid nanofluid on thermo-hydraulic properties and entropy generation of three different wavy channels (triangular, sinusoidal, and trapezoidal) for the first time. The finite element method is used, and the simulations are performed considering Ag-TiO2-Water hybrid nanofluid (0 to 4%) as a coolant for Reynolds number range from 5 to 500 and Darcy number, 10(-6). The present study will be helpful in designing and establishing a viable heat exchanging device from both the first law and second law of thermodynamics perspectives with maximum performance. It is demonstrated that the insertion of porous media between the corrugated walls enhances the thermal performance with simultaneous increment in pressure losses. It is observed that the trapezoidal channel is founded to be viable with a performance factor higher than 1 for a given range of Reynolds number, unlike the other two channels, which are viable only for higher Reynolds number. Therefore, the trapezoidal channel performs best with maximum enhancement in thermal performance by 90%. Also, from entropy generation analysis, it is shown that all three channels are thermodynamically advantageous from a second law perspective but only for low values of Reynolds number.

Automated summary

Comprehensive numerical simulations are conducted to investigate the combined effect of three distinct passive techniques on thermo-hydraulic properties and entropy generation in three different wavy channels. It is found that the insertion of porous media between the corrugated walls enhances thermal performance, and the trapezoidal channel shows the highest enhancement by 90%.