Nanofluid heat transfer and entropy generation inside a triangular duct equipped with delta winglet vortex generators

This paper presents the results of a numerical study on the thermal-hydraulic and entropy generation analysis for a nanofluid flow inside a plate-fin triangular duct. Vortex generators are placed in the duct to improve the heat transfer rate and fluid mixing. Reynolds number (Re), volume fraction of nanoparticles (alpha) and vortex generators' angle of attack (theta) are selected as the pertinent parameters. All simulations are performed for the following range of parameters: 200 < Re < 1000; 0<alpha < 0.05 and 0 < theta< 50. The results are presented for the dimensionless pressure drop, Nusselt number and entropy generations (friction and thermal entropy generations). Results indicate that for theta < 40 degrees, the thermal entropy generation reduces by increasing theta, while for theta > 40 degrees, increasing theta leads to an increase in the thermal entropy generation. Moreover, the friction entropy generation was found to increase by 8% when the angle of attack is increased from 0 to 40 degrees.