Numerical Prognosis of Buoyancy-Augmented Thermofluidic Behavior in Angulated Solar Channels Employing Al2O3-Based Nano Dispersions.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Numerical Prognosis of Buoyancy-Augmented Thermofluidic Behavior in Angulated Solar Channels Employing Al2O3-Based Nano Dispersions.
Authors: Bhasker, Burra1 bhaskeriitm@gmail.com, Gugulothu, S. K.2 santoshgk1988@nitandhra.ac.in, Muthyala, Raju1 mraju.muthyala@gmail.com, Sailaja, G.3 sailajasinha@mjcollege.ac.in, Barmavatu, Praveen4 pbarmavatu@utem.cl
Source: Journal of Solar Energy Engineering. Feb2026, Vol. 148 Issue 1, p1-17. 17p.
Abstract: The advancement of thermal management technologies necessitates improved heat transfer performance, particularly in low-Reynolds-number flow regimes. This study presents a comprehensive three-dimensional numerical investigation of laminar mixed convection heat transfer in noncircular ducts using aluminum oxide (Al2O3)/water nanofluid. Simulations are performed in an equilateral triangular duct and five additional duct geometries relevant to solar water heating (SWH) systems, including rectangular and isosceles trapezoidal ducts with base angles ranging from 60 deg to 100 deg. Using ansys fluent 18.1 and a single-phase model, simulations are conducted under a uniform wall heat flux of 1000 W/m2, with a fixed Reynolds number of 100, Richardson numbers ranging from 0 to 5, and nanoparticle volume concentrations from 0% to 5%. Results show that increasing both the Richardson number and nanoparticle loading enhances convective heat transfer. At 5% nanoparticle volume concentration and a Richardson number of 5, the average convective heat transfer coefficient increases by approximately 13.9% compared to pure water. Similarly, increasing the duct base angle from 60 deg to 100 deg at high buoyancy levels yields a Nusselt number enhancement of about 13%. However, these thermal benefits are accompanied by increased wall shear stress and pumping power, which rise up to 4.2 times compared to the baseline case. Flow field analysis indicates that ducts with larger base angles promote stronger vortex formation and improved thermal mixing. The findings highlight the trade-off between heat transfer enhancement and pressure drop, with the performance evaluation criterion (PEC) revealing diminishing returns beyond 3% nanoparticle concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Solar Energy Engineering is the property of American Society of Mechanical Engineers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 191032470
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Numerical Prognosis of Buoyancy-Augmented Thermofluidic Behavior in Angulated Solar Channels Employing Al<subscript>2</subscript>O<subscript>3</subscript>-Based Nano Dispersions.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bhasker%2C+Burra%22">Bhasker, Burra</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> bhaskeriitm@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gugulothu%2C+S%2E+K%2E%22">Gugulothu, S. K.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><i> santoshgk1988@nitandhra.ac.in</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Muthyala%2C+Raju%22">Muthyala, Raju</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> mraju.muthyala@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sailaja%2C+G%2E%22">Sailaja, G.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><i> sailajasinha@mjcollege.ac.in</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Barmavatu%2C+Praveen%22">Barmavatu, Praveen</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo><i> pbarmavatu@utem.cl</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Solar+Energy+Engineering%22">Journal of Solar Energy Engineering</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 148 Issue 1, p1-17. 17p.
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The advancement of thermal management technologies necessitates improved heat transfer performance, particularly in low-Reynolds-number flow regimes. This study presents a comprehensive three-dimensional numerical investigation of laminar mixed convection heat transfer in noncircular ducts using aluminum oxide (Al2O3)/water nanofluid. Simulations are performed in an equilateral triangular duct and five additional duct geometries relevant to solar water heating (SWH) systems, including rectangular and isosceles trapezoidal ducts with base angles ranging from 60 deg to 100 deg. Using ansys fluent 18.1 and a single-phase model, simulations are conducted under a uniform wall heat flux of 1000 W/m2, with a fixed Reynolds number of 100, Richardson numbers ranging from 0 to 5, and nanoparticle volume concentrations from 0% to 5%. Results show that increasing both the Richardson number and nanoparticle loading enhances convective heat transfer. At 5% nanoparticle volume concentration and a Richardson number of 5, the average convective heat transfer coefficient increases by approximately 13.9% compared to pure water. Similarly, increasing the duct base angle from 60 deg to 100 deg at high buoyancy levels yields a Nusselt number enhancement of about 13%. However, these thermal benefits are accompanied by increased wall shear stress and pumping power, which rise up to 4.2 times compared to the baseline case. Flow field analysis indicates that ducts with larger base angles promote stronger vortex formation and improved thermal mixing. The findings highlight the trade-off between heat transfer enhancement and pressure drop, with the performance evaluation criterion (PEC) revealing diminishing returns beyond 3% nanoparticle concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Solar Energy Engineering is the property of American Society of Mechanical Engineers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=191032470
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1115/1.4070082
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 1
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Numerical Prognosis of Buoyancy-Augmented Thermofluidic Behavior in Angulated Solar Channels Employing Al2O3-Based Nano Dispersions.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Bhasker, Burra
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Gugulothu, S. K.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Muthyala, Raju
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sailaja, G.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Barmavatu, Praveen
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 02
              Text: Feb2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 01996231
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 148
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Solar Energy Engineering
              Type: main
ResultId 1