International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 1086–1092

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International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer

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Fully developed mixed convection flow in a vertical channel filled with nanofluids☆
Hang Xu a,⁎, Ioan Pop b
a
State Key Lab of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
b
Faculty of Mathematics, University of Cluj, R-3400 Cluj, CP253, Romania

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Available online 17 June 2012 In this paper, the fully developed mixed convection flow in a vertical channel filled with nanofluids is inves-
tigated. Analytical solutions for both the buoyancy-assisted and -opposed flow are obtained. Further analysis
Keywords: shows that the analytical solution for the opposing flow is only valid for a certain region of the Rayleigh num-
Mixed convection ber Ra in physical sense. Besides, the effects of the nanoparticle volume fraction φ on the temperature and the
Heat transfer velocity distributions are then exhibited. It is confirmed that the nanoparticle volume fraction φ plays a key
Channel
role for improving the heat and mass transfer characteristics of the fluids.
Nanoparticles
Analytical solutions
© 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction works (Keblinski et al. [17,18] and Prasher et al. [19]) proposed alter-
native mechanisms for the “abnormal increase” of the thermal con-
Vertical channel is a frequently encountered configuration in ther- ductivity and viscosity than those proposed by Buongiorno [16].
mal engineering equipment, for example, collector of solar energy, Further, it should be mentioned that Brinkman model and Maxwell
cooling devices of electronic and micro-electronic equipments, etc. model are correct especially for concentrations up to 0.8 (80%). For
Due to its wide applications, numerous investigations have been instance, by comparing the Brinkman model and experimental data
done toward the understandings of fully developed mixed convection which are supplied by Maïga et al. [20] and Polidori, Fohanno and
flow in a vertical channel. Reviews of the open literature reveal that Nguyen [21], one may find an augmentation of the dynamic viscosity
there have been very much attention paid to fully developed mixed of 30% at a 4% particle loading. More recently, Popa et al. [22] were
convection flow in vertical and inclined channels, such as Tao [1], making a comparison between the Maxwell model and the experi-
Beckett [2] Beckett and Friend [3], Aung and Worku [4], Lavine [5], mental data provided by Mintsa et al. [23] for thermal conductivity.
Cheng, Kou and Huang [6], Hamadah and Wirtz [7], Chen and Chung Popa et al. [22] find that Maxwell's model strongly overestimates
[8], Pan and Li [9], Barletta [10], Barletta, Magyari and Keller [11,12] the thermal conductivity of the nanofluid. Some numerical and ex-
and so on. perimental studies on nanofluids can be found in Kang et al. [24],
Nanofluids (a term proposed by Choi [13]) are expected to have Abu-Nada [25], Khanafer et al. [26], Maïga et al. [27], Tiwari and Das
superior properties compared to conventional heat transfer fluids, [28], Oztop and Abu-Nada [29], Abu-Nada and Oztop [30], Ghasemi
as well as fluids containing micro-sized metallic particles. Wang and and Aminossadati [31], Mahmoudi et al. [32], Yacob et al. [33],
Mujumdar [14] pointed out that nanoparticles have the much larger Bachok, Ishak and Pop [34], Nield and Kuznetsov [35,36], Kuznetsov
relative surface area as compared to those of conventional particles, and Nield [37,38], etc. Daungthongsuk and Wongwises [39] studied
they therefore should not only significantly improve heat transfer ca- the influence of thermophysical properties of nanofluids on the
pabilities, but also increase the stability of the suspensions. Choi et al. convective heat transfer and summarized various models used in liter-
[15] showed that the addition of small amount (less than 1% by vol- ature for predicting the thermophysical properties of nanofluids. The
ume) of nanoparticles to conventional heat transfer liquids increased comprehensive references on nanofluid can be found in the recent
the thermal conductivity of the fluid up to approximately two times. book by Das et al. [40] and in the review papers by Daungthongsuk
On the other side, Buongiorno [16] noted that the nanoparticle abso- and Wongwises [41], Trisaksri and Wongwises [42], Wang and
lute velocity can be viewed as the sum of the base fluid velocity and a Mujumdar [43,44], and Kakaç and Pramuanjaroenkij [45].
relative velocity (that he calls the slip velocity). He has shown that in The aim of the present paper is the analysis of fully developed and
the absence of turbulent effects it is the Brownian diffusion and the laminar mixed convection flow in a vertical channel filled with
thermophoresis that are important and he has written down conser- nanofluids, the basic fluid being water. Three different types of
vation equations based on these two effects. However, several other nanoparticles are considered, namely Cu, Al2O3 and TiO2. Both walls
of the channel are kept at a temperature which increases or decreases
☆ Communicated by P. Cheng and W.Q. Tao.
linearly with the distance along the walls. The nanofluid model used
⁎ Corresponding author. is that proposed by Tiwari and Das [28] and the analysis is based on
E-mail addresses: [email protected] (H. Xu), [email protected] (I. Pop). an analytical solution. The effects of buoyancy parameter and solid

0735-1933/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2012.06.003
 H. Xu, I. Pop / International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 1086–1092 1087

volume fraction are discussed about temperature and velocity distri- subject to the boundary conditions
butions in the channel.
uð−LÞ ¼ 0; uðþLÞ ¼ 0; T w ð−LÞ ¼ T 0 −C 1 L; T w ¼ T 0 þ C 1 L: ð3Þ
2. Basic equations
It is a common practice in channel flow studies to assume the
Consider the steady mixed convection flow, which is driven by an mass flow rate as a prescribed quantity. Hence, the following average
external pressure gradient and also by a buoyancy force, between two fluid velocity in the channel section will be considered as being pre-
parallel long vertical plane walls filled with a nanofluid and separated scribed
by a distance 2 L. A coordinate system is chosen such that the x-axis is
parallel to the gravitational acceleration vector g, but with the oppo- 1 þL 1 L
Um ¼ ∫ uðyÞdy ¼ ∫0 uðyÞdy: ð4Þ
site direction. The y-axis is orthogonal to the channel walls, and the 2 L −L L
origin of the axes is such that the positions of the channel walls
arey = − L and y = + L, respectively. A sketch of the system and of The physical quantities in Eqs. (1) and (2) are: φ is the nanoparti-
the coordinate axes is reported in Fig. 1. cle volume fraction, βf and βs are the coefficients of thermal expan-
Following Tao [1], we assume that the temperature of the both sion of the fluid and of the solid, respectively, ρf and ρs are the
walls is Tw(x) = T0 + C1x, where C1 is a constant, which is positive densities of the fluid and of the solid fractions, respectively, μnf is
for buoyancy-assisted flow and negative for buoyancy-opposed the viscosity of the nanofluid and αnf is the thermal diffusivity of
flow, respectively, and T0 is the upstream reference wall temperature. the nanofluid, which are given by
The velocity field is given in this case by v(u, 0), so that the continuity
equation reduces to ∂ u/∂ x = 0 and implies u = u(y). Also, the pres- μf knf
μ nf ¼ ; α nf ¼   ;
sure gradient ∂ p/∂ y = 0 so that p = p(x) and dp/dx = constant. Using ð1−φÞ2:5 ρ Cp
the nanofluid model proposed by Tiwari and Das [28], the momentum nf    
balance and energy equations according to the Boussinesq approxi-       k ks þ 2kf −2φ kf −ks
nf
mation can be written as ρ Cp ¼ ð1−φÞ ρ C p þ φ ρ C p ; ¼    ;
nf f s kf ks þ 2kf þ φ kf −ks
ð5Þ
d2 u h i dp
μ nf 2
þ φ ρs βs þ ð1−φÞρf βf g ðT−T w Þ ¼ ; ð1Þ
dy dx where μf is the dynamic viscosity of the base fluid and its expression
has been proposed by Brinkman (1953), knf is the thermal conductiv-
ity of the nanofluid, kf and ks are the thermal conductivities of the
∂2 T ∂T base fluid and of the solid, respectively, and (ρ Cp)nf is the heat capac-
αn f ¼u ; ð2Þ
∂y2 ∂x itance of the fluid nanofluid. It is worth mentioning that the
expressions (5) are restricted to spherical nanoparticles where it
does not account for other shapes of nanoparticles. These equations
were also used by Khanafer, Vafai and Lightstone [26], Oztop and
Abu-Nada [29], and Abu-Nada and Oztop [30]. The thermophysical
properties of fluid and nanoparticles are given in Table 1.
We introduce now the following dimensionless variables

y x u T−T w p
Y¼ ; X¼ ; U ðY Þ ¼ ; θðY Þ ¼ ; P ðxÞ ¼ ; ð6Þ
L L Um C 1 L Re P r ρf U 2m

where Re = Um L/νf is the Reynolds number and Pr = νf/αf is the

g Prandtl number. Substituting Eq. (6) into Eqs. (1) and (2), we get
the following ordinary differential equations

1 1 d2 U h   i Ra dP
þ ð1−φÞ þ φ ρs =ρf βs =βf θ¼ ; ð7Þ
Tw(x) = T0 + C1 x

Tw(x) = T0 + C1 x

x, u Re ð1−φÞ2:5 d Y 2 Re dX

α nf d2 θ
¼ U; ð8Þ
αf d Y 2
o y, v
y
subject to the following boundary conditions

U ð−1Þ ¼ 0; U ð1Þ ¼ 0; θð−1Þ ¼ 0; θð1Þ ¼ 0; ð9Þ

2L

Table 1
Thermophysical properties of fluid and nanoparticles given in [29].

Physical properties Fluid phase (water) Cu Al2O3 TiO2

Cp (J/kg K) 4179 385 765 686.2

ρ (kg/m3) 997.1 8933 3970 4250
k (W/m K) 0.613 400 40 8.9538
α × 107 (m2/s) 1.47 11163.1 131.7 30.7
β × 105 (1/K) 21 1.67 0.85 0.9
Fig. 1. Schematic of the geometry and coordinate system.
1088 H. Xu, I. Pop / International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 1086–1092

along with the mass flux conservation relation (4), which becomes where the unknown constants are determined using the boundary
conditions (12) as
1
∫0 U dY ¼ 1; ð10Þ
pffiffiffi 3 h pffiffiffi  pffiffiffi i
2 βP cos 2 βP þ cosh 2 βP
where Ra = g βf C1 L 4/(νf αf) is the Rayleigh number. It should be men- α2 ¼ h pffiffiffi  pffiffiffi i ;
tioned that Ra > 0 for assisting flow and Ra b 0 for opposing flow, re- α r sin 2 βP −sinh 2 βP
   
spectively. It should also be mentioned that for a regular fluid pffiffiffi β β
2 cos pPffiffiffi cosh pPffiffiffi
(φ = 0), Eqs. (7) and (8) reduce to those of Chen and Chung [8]. P P
C1 ¼ C3 ¼ − h pffiffiffi 2  p2 i ;
ffiffiffi
βP α r sin 2 βP −sinh 2 βP
3. Results analysis    
pffiffiffi β β
2 sin pPffiffiffi sinh pPffiffiffi
P P
C 2 ¼ −C 4 ¼ − h pffiffiffi 2  p 2 i :
Differentiating U(Y) in Eq. (8) with respect to Y twice and then ffiffiffi
βP α r sin 2 βP −sinh 2 βP
substituting it into Eq. (8), we obtain

‴′
θ þ α 1 ⋅θ ¼ α 2 ; ð11Þ For Ra b 0, corresponding to α1 b 0. Similar to the procedures men-
tioned above, we obtain the analytical solution for Eq. (11) as
subject to the boundary conditions
N N N
″ ″ 1 ″
θðY Þ ¼ C 1 expðβN Y Þ þ C 2 expð−βN Y Þ þ C 3 cosðβN Y Þ
θð−1Þ ¼ θð1Þ ¼ θ ð1Þ ¼ θ ð−1Þ ¼ 0; ∫0 α r ⋅θ ðyÞ ¼ 1; ð12Þ N α
þ C 4 sinðβN Y Þ− 42 ; ð20Þ
h
   i βN
where α 1 ¼ ð1−φÞ ð1−φÞ þ ρρs ββs φ Ra
5 5
2 Re d P
α r , α 2 ¼ ð1−φÞ α r d X , and
2
α nf f f
αr ¼ α . where
f
The analytical solutions for Eq. (11) satisfied the boundary condi-
tions (12) which can be explicitly obtained for three different cases 2 β3N ½1 þ expð2 βN Þ
Ra = 0, Ra > 0 and Ra b 0, as illustrated hereinafter. α2 ¼ − ;
α r ½1−expð2 βN Þ þ tanðβN Þ þ tanðβN Þexpð2 βN Þ
For Ra = 0, we integrate Eq. (11) with respect to Y four times, 1
C N1 ¼ C N2 ¼ ;
obtaining 2 βN α r ½sinhðβN Þ−coshðβN ÞtanðβN Þ
1 N 1=4
α2 4 C N3 ¼ ; C 4 ¼ 0; βN ¼ ð−α 1 Þ :
0 0 0
θðY Þ ¼ C 1 þ C 2 Y þ C 3 Y þ C 4 Y þ
2 0 3
Y ; ð13Þ βN α r ½cosðβN ÞtanhðβN Þ−sinðβN Þ
24

where the constants C10, C20, C30, and C40 and α2 are determined by the The temperature distribution of Al2O3–water fluid flow at the cen-
boundary conditions (12) as terline of the channel as a function of the Rayleigh number Ra for
some values of φ is plotted in Fig. 2. It is found from Fig. 2(a) that
0 5 0 0 3 0 3 for the assisting flow case, as expected, the centerline temperature
C1 ¼ − ; C 2 ¼ 0; C3 ¼ ; C 4 ¼ 0; α2 ¼ − : ð14Þ
8γ 4γ γ θ(0) enlarges gradually with increasing values of the Rayleigh num-
ber Ra. While for the opposing flow case, the centerline temperature
For Ra > 0, corresponding to α1 > 0, in this case, the homogeneous θ(0) diminishes rapidly from its initial value to negative infinity as
equation for Eq. (11) is the Rayleigh number decreases from zero to a singular value Ras1. Be-
yond this value, θ(0) changes its sign and lessens continuously from
‴′ 4 positive infinity to negative infinity with the reduction of Ra, as
θ þ βP ⋅θ ¼ 0; ð15Þ
shown in Fig. 2(b). Furthermore, due to Eq. (20), it is readily to
where βP = α11/4. The characteristic equation for Eq. (15) can then be know that there are multiple singularities, at those points θ(0) always
written as approaches to infinity, as shown in Table 2. However the centerline
temperature θ(0) cannot be infinite physically, we thereby are able to
4 4
r þ βP ¼ 0; ð16Þ conclude that Eq. (20) is only valid for Ras1 b Ra b 0. Besides, the effect
of φ on the centerline temperature distribution can be also seen in
which have four roots Fig. 2. From Fig. 2(a) and (b), we notice that the increasing values of φ
result in the enhancement of the absolute values of θ(0) for any a pre-
β β scribed value Ra. This provides a theoretical basis from mathematical
r 1;2 ¼ pPffiffiffi ð1  iÞ; r 3;4 ¼ − pPffiffiffi ð1  iÞ: ð17Þ point of view that the nanofluids can effectively improve on the heat
2 2
transfer characteristics compared to the traditional fluids.
The temperature distribution θ(Y) for various values of Ra with
Thus the solution for Eq. (15) is given by φ = 0.1 in Al2O3–water nanofluid is presented in Fig. 3. It is shown
from Fig. 3(a), the temperature profiles θ(Y) grow monotonously
  
β β β with the increasing of the Rayleigh number Ra for the assisting flow
θ ðY Þ ¼ exp pPffiffiffi Y
P
C P1 cos pPffiffiffi Y þ C 2 sin pPffiffiffi Y
2 2 2 case. Similar situation can be found for the opposing flow case, the
 ð18Þ
β P β P β temperature profiles θ(Y) increase consecutively as the Rayleigh
þexp − pPffiffiffi Y C 3 cos pPffiffiffi Y þ C 4 sin pPffiffiffi Y :
2 2 2 number Ra evolves from Rac1 to zero, as shown in Fig. 3(b). Fig. 4
gives the velocity profiles for various values of Ra with φ = 0.1 in
It is obvious that θ(Y) = α2/βP4 is a particular solution of Eq. (11). Al2O3–water nanofluid. As illustrated in Fig. 4(a), for the assisting
Hence, the general solution of Eq. (11) reads flow case, the velocity profiles U(Y) decrease smoothly as the Ray-
   leigh number Ra enlarges from 0 to a critical value Ra1(≈46.8602).
β β P β While when Ra constantly enlarges, the centerline temperature
θðY Þ ¼ exp pPffiffiffi Y C P1 cos pPffiffiffi Y þ C 2 sin pPffiffiffi Y
 2
 2 2
 ð19Þ U(0) diminishes unceasingly as before, synchronously, two crests
β β P β α
þexp − pPffiffiffi Y C P3 cos pPffiffiffi Y þ C 4 sin pPffiffiffi Y þ 42 ; alongside of the centerline come to appear and gradually enhance.
2 2 2 βP As Ra approaches to another critical value Ra2(≈3795.6735), the
 H. Xu, I. Pop / International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 1086–1092 1089

(a) Ra 0 centerline velocity U(0) reaches to its a minimum value. When Ra

0 continuously evolves, the centerline temperature U(0) begins to in-
crease again, while the amplitude of the existing two crests begins
to decrease, at the same time two troughs beside the centerline
-0.1
start to appear. For other values φ in various nanofluids, such critical
values of Ra can also be found as expected, as shown in Table 3. From
-0.2 the table, it is further found that both Ra1 and Ra2 increase with the
increase of φ. For the opposing flow case, the centerline velocity
U(0) reduces gradually with the increasing values of Ra from −400
-0.3
to zero. Simultaneously, the amplitude of the two troughs alongside
θ(0)

of the centerline decreases and finally is vanishing as Ra approaches

-0.4 to zero, as shown in Fig. 4(b).
The effect of φ on the temperature profiles for Ra = ± 50 in Al2O3–
water nanofluid is exhibited in Fig. 5. It is shown from Fig. 5(a) that
-0.5
the temperature profiles θ(Y) increases monotonously for the
assisting flow case with the increasing values of φ. Similar trend can
-0.6 also be seen for the opposing flow case, the increasing values of φ

-0.7
0 1 2 3 4
10 10 10 10 10
Ra (a) Ra 0
0
(b) Ra 0
3 -0.05

-0.1
10000
2
-0.15
2000
-0.2
1
θ(Y)

-0.25 800
θ(0)

0 -0.3 400

-0.35
200
-1
-0.4 100

50
-0.45
0
-2
-0.5
-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Y
-3
0 1 2 3 4
10 10 10 10 10
Ra
(b) Rac1 Ra 0
0
Fig. 2. The values of θ(0) for various values of Ra in Al2O3–water fluid. Dash–dot-dotted
line: φ = 0.0; dashed line: φ = 0.1; solid line: φ = 0.2.
0
-0.5
-200

Table 2 -1 -300

The singular points given by Eq. (20).

-350
Types of fluids Singularities φ = 0.0 φ = 0.1 φ = 0.2
θ(Y)

-1.5
Al2O3–water Ras1 − 237.903 − 457.438 − 902.185
-380
Ras2 − 2498.4 − 4803.9 − 9474.52
Ras3 − 10875.9 − 20912.1 − 41244.
Ras4 − 31804.4 − 61153.2 − 120610. -2 -400
… … … …
Cu–water Ras1 − 237.903 − 432.018 − 797.644
Ras2 − 2498.4 − 4536.94 − 8376.66 -2.5
Ras3 − 10875.9 − 19750. − 36464.8
Ras4 − 31804.4 − 57754.9 − 106634.
… … … …
TiO2–water Ras1 − 237.903 − 457.438 − 839.29 -3
Ras2 − 2498.4 − 4803.9 − 8814.02
-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Ras3 − 10875.9 − 20912.1 − 38368.7
Y
Ras4 − 31804.4 − 61153.2 − 112202.
… … … … Fig. 3. The temperature profiles for various values of Ra with φ = 0.1 in Al2O3–water
fluid.
1090 H. Xu, I. Pop / International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 1086–1092

(a) Ra 0 4. Conclusion

An investigation has been made of the flow subject to an external

pressure gradient and a buoyancy force between two parallel vertical
plane surfaces filled with a nanofluid oriented in the direction of the
generating body force along which the temperature distribution is as-
sumed to vary linearly. Analytical solutions for both the buoyancy-
assisted flow and the buoyancy-opposed flow have been obtained
explicitly. An analysis shows that the analytical solution for the op-
posing flow case is not physically realistic when Ra b Ras1. While for
the assisting flow case, we find that there are two critical values Ra1
and Ra2, that divide Ra into two regions Ra1 ≤ Ra b Ra2, and Ra ≥ Ra2.
In each region, the velocity profiles remain similar shape for various
Ra. While the shape of velocity profiles is different when Ra falls
into the other regions. Besides, the nanoparticle volume fraction φ
is found to be of significance in this problem, which has nonnegligible
effects on the improvement of the heat and mass transfer characteris-
tics of the fluids.

(b) Rac1 Ra 0 (a) Ra=50

Fig. 4. The velocity profiles for various values of Ra with φ = 0.1 in Al2O3–water fluid.
(b) Ra = -50

results in the enhancement of the temperature profiles, as shown in

Fig. 5(b). The velocity distribution for various values of φ with Ra =
± 50 in Al2O3–water fluid is plotted in Fig. 6. It is shown from
Fig. 6(a) that the centerline velocity U(0) increases consecutively as
φ enlarges for the assisting flow case. While for the opposing flow
case, the centerline velocity U(0) decreases continuously as φ evolves,
as shown in Fig. 6(b).

Table 3
The critical Rayleigh numbers Ra1 and Ra2.

Types of fluids Ra1 Ra2

φ = 0.0 φ = 0.1 φ = 0.2 φ = 0.0 φ = 0.1 φ = 0.2

Al2O3–water 24.3709 46.8602 92.4203 1974.0428 3795.6735 7486.0445

Cu–water 24.3709 44.2561 81.7111 1974.0428 3584.7457 6618.5964
TiO2–water 24.3709 45.1399 85.9773 1974.0428 3656.3292 6964.1645
Fig. 5. The temperature profiles for various values of φ in Al2O3–water fluid.
 H. Xu, I. Pop / International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 1086–1092 1091

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[29] H.F. Oztop, E. Abu-Nada, Numerical study of natural convection in partially heat-
We acknowledge Dr. Qiang Sun for fruitful discussions. H. Xu ex- ed rectangular enclosures filled with nanofluids, International Journal of Heat and
Fluid Flow 29 (2008) 1326–1336.
tends his sincere appreciation to the National Natural Science Foun- [30] E. Abu-Nada, H.F. Oztop, Effects of inclination angle on natural convection in en-
dation of China for the support through grant no. 10972136 and closures filled with Cu–water nanofluid, International Journal of Heat and Fluid
grant no. 50739004, and to the Higher Education of China for the sup- Flow 30 (2009) 669–678.
[31] B. Ghasemi, S.M. Aminossadati, Periodic natural convection in a nanofluid-filled
port through grant no. 20090073120014. enclosure with oscillating heat flux, International Journal of Thermal Sciences
49 (2010) 1–9.
[32] A.H. Mahmoudi, M. Shahi, A.H. Raouf, A. Ghasemian, Numerical study of natural
convection cooling of horizontal heat source mounted in a square cavity filled
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