Numerical Investigation on Thermohydraulic Performance of Semi Wavy Micro Channel Inserted With Different Fin Shapes Using Water, Ethylene Glycol-Based Nano Fluids
Madhusudhanprasad Manchala
This study presents a numerical investigation into the thermohydraulic performance of a semi-wavy microchannel integrated with various fin geometries, aimed at enhancing heat transfer characteristics. The microchannel model, with dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm × 8 mm, was designed using SolidWorks and made of Al-Si-10Mg alloy, known for its excellent thermal conductivity and mechanical strength. To enhance object efficiency here different fin shapes, rectangular, and square were embedded within the channel to analyse their influence on thermal performance.
The computational simulations were conducted under three different mass flow rates of 100 ml/min, 250 ml/min, and 475 ml/min. To further augment the heat transfer rate, three types of working fluids were considered: (i) a mixture of 60% water and 40% ethylene glycol, (ii) water with 2% TiO₂ nanoparticles, and (iii) water with 5% TiO₂ nanoparticles. A uniform heat flux of 30 W/m² was applied at the base of the microchannel.
The results obtained include the variation of velocity, pressure, and temperature at both inlet and outlet, along with the calculation of heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number for each case. The comparative analysis highlights the combined effect of fin geometry, nanofluid concentration, and flow rate on overall thermal performance, indicating the optimal configuration for micro-scale cooling applications.
