Multi-phase lattice Boltzmann (LB) simulation for convective transport of nanofluids in porous structures with phase interactions

• Published in: International journal of numerical methods for heat & fluid flow Vol. 31; no. 8; pp. 2754 - 2788
• Main Authors: Xing, Z.B., Han, Xingchao, Ke, Hanbing, Zhang, Q.G., Zhang, Zhiping, Xu, Huijin, Wang, Fuqiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bradford Emerald Publishing Limited 10.08.2021; Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subjects: Computational fluid dynamics; Convection; Convective flow; Darcy number; Energy storage; Equilibrium; Fluid dynamics; Heat conductivity; Heat exchangers; Heat transfer; Hydrodynamics; Investigations; Metals; Momentum; Multiphase; Nanofluids; Nanoparticles; Numerical methods; Porous materials; Porous media; Structures; Technicians; Thermal coupling; Thermal resistance; Transport; Viscosity; Porous media; Micro/nanoscale transport; LB model; Nanofluid; Multiphase interaction
• ISSN: 0961-5539; 1758-6585; 0961-5539
• DOI: 10.1108/HFF-07-2020-0481

Purpose A combination of highly conductive porous media and nanofluids is an efficient way for improving thermal performance of relevant applications. For precisely predicting the flow and thermal transport of nanofluids in porous media, the purpose of this paper is to explore the inter-phase coupling numerical methods. Design/methodology/approach Based on the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method, this study combines the convective flow, non-equilibrium thermal transport and phase interactions of nanofluids in porous matrix and proposes a new multi-phase LB model. The micro-scale momentum and heat interactions are especially analyzed for nanoparticles, base fluid and solid matrix. A set of three-phase LB equations for the flow/thermal coupling of base fluid, nanoparticles and solid matrix is established. Findings Distributions of nanoparticles, velocities for nanoparticles and the base fluid, temperatures for three phases and interaction forces are analyzed in detail. Influences of parameters on the nanofluid convection in the porous matrix are examined. Thermal resistance of nanofluid convective transport in porous structures are comprehensively discussed with the models of multi-phases. Results show that the Rayleigh number and the Darcy number have significant influences on the convective characteristics. The result with the three-phase model is mildly larger than that with the local thermal non-equilibrium model. Originality/value This paper first creates the multi-phase theoretical model for the complex coupling process of nanofluids in porous structures, which is useful for researchers and technicians in fields of thermal science and computational fluid dynamics.