Numerical study of flow and heat transfer characteristics of alumina-water nanofluids in a microchannel using the lattice Boltzmann method

In the present study, mathematical modeling is performed to simulate force d convection flow of Al2O3/water nanofluids in a microchannel using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Simulations are conducted at low Reynolds numbers (Re ≦ 16). Results indicate that the average Nusselt number increases with the increase of Reynolds number and particle volume concentration. The fluid temperature distribution is more uniform with the use of nanofluid than that of pure water. Furthermore, great deviations of computed Nusselt numbers using different models associated with the physical properties of a nanofluid are revealed. The results of LBM agree well with the classical CFD method for predictions of flow and heat transfer in a single channel and a microchannel heat sink concerning the conjugate heat transfer problem, and consequently LBM is robust and promising for practical applications.