Mixed convection of copper-water nanofluid in a shallow inclined lid driven cavity using the lattice Boltzmann method

The goal of this work is to study the laminar mixed convection of water-Cu nanofluid in an inclined shallow driven cavity using the lattice Boltzmann method. The upper lid of the cavity moves with constant velocity, U-0, and its temperature is higher than that of the lower wall. The side walls are assumed to be adiabatic. The effects of different values of the cavity inclination angle and nanoparticles volume fraction at three states of free, force and mixed convection domination are investigated while the Reynolds number is kept fixed as Re = 100 and Re = 10. Validation of present results with those of other available ones shows a suitable agreement. Streamlines, isotherms, Nusselt numbers, and velocity and temperature profiles are presented. More Nusselt numbers can be achieved at larger values of the inclination angle and nanoparticles volume fraction at free convection domination. Results imply the appropriate ability of LBM to simulate the mixed convection of nanofluid in a shallow inclined cavity. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.