Flow field, heat transfer and entropy generation of nanofluid in a microchannel using the finite volume method

In this study, the finite volume method and the SIMPLER algorithm is employed to investigate forced convection and entropy generation of Cu-water nanofluid in a parallel plate microchannel. There are four obstacles through the microchannel, and the slip velocity and temperature jump boundary conditions are considered in the governing equations to increase the accuracy of modeling. The study is conducted for the Reynolds numbers in the range of 0.1<Re<10, Knudsen numbers ranging of 0<Kn<0.1, and volume fraction of nanoparticles ranging of 0<φ<0.04. The results show that by increasing the Knudsen number, the average Nusselt number and total entropy generation rate decrease. Moreover, with augmentation of the Reynolds number, the average Nusselt number and total entropy generation rate decrease. What’s more, by increasing the volume fraction of nanofluids, the temperature of the nanofluid reduces, and as a result, the temperature gradient as well as heat transfer increase.