Thermomagnetic convective flow characteristics of oil-based magnetic nanofluids in rectangular enclosure

The characteristics of thermomagnetic convective flow in a rectangular enclosure heated from below and filled with oil-based nanofluid (EFH-1, Ferrotec.), so called ferrofluid, were numerically investigated. The enclosure contained obstacles with rectangular or triangular configurations mounted on the top and bottom walls. To generate homogeneous magnetic fields, a permanent magnet with a uniform magnetic field strength of 600 kA/m was located in the lower part of the rectangular enclosure, and specified the horizontal or vertical direction. Coupling calculations between thermalflow field and magnetic field in the analysis model were performed using the commercial code, COMSOL Multiphysics. Results showed that the ferrofluid flow fields were affected by the applied external magnetic field directions and that the eddy flow phenomena in the rectangular enclosure were generated in the vicinity of the section of high magnetic flux density fields such as the edge of the permanent magnet. The effect of parameters like temperature distributions and local Nusselt number (Nu) profiles on the thermomagnetic convective flow was graphically depicted with various flow conditions.