Laminar mixed convection heat transfer of SiC-EG nanofluids in a triangular enclosure with a rotating inner cylinder: simulations based on the measured thermal conductivity and viscosity

A numerical study has been carried out for a laminar steady mixed convection flow in a 2D triangular enclosure with an inner rotating coaxial cylinder, with the enclosure filled with ethylene glycol-silicon carbide (SiC-EG). The thermal conductivity and viscosity of the SiC-EG nanofluids were experimentally determined by using a Decagon Devices KD2 Pro thermal property meter and a rotational Brookfield viscometer, respectively. Various pertinent parameters, such as the dimensionless rotation velocity, solid volume fraction, dimensionless radius of the inner cylinder, and Rayleigh numbers, were analyzed to determine their influences on heat transfer and fluid flow. Results clearly show how the direction of rotation of the cylinder affects the thermal performance in a triangular enclosure. It is found that the average Nusselt number increases with rise in the Rayleigh number or as more nanoparticles are added to the base liquid. It was also observed that at constant Rayleigh number, different rotational conditions have remarkable effects on the flow and heat transfer characteristics.