Forced Convection in Micropolar Fluid Flow through a Wavy-Wall Channel

ABSTRACT

Forced convection of micropolar fluids through a periodic array of wavy-wall channels has been analyzed by using a simple coordinate transformation method and the spline alternating- direction implicit method. The effects of the wavy amplitude, the micropolar parameter, and the Reynolds number on skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number have been examined in detail. Results show that the flow through a sinusoidally curved converging-diverging channel forms a strong forward flow and a reticular vortex within each wave for larger Reynolds number and larger wavy amplitudes. For the micropolar fluids, increasing the vortex viscosity causes an increase in the total viscosity of the fluid, thus the skin friction coefficient increases while the Nusselt number decreases. Also, the influence of vortex viscosity on the minimum cross section of the wavy-wall channel and on a tiny change of the maximum cross section is manifest. Moreover, both Reynolds number and wavy amplitude tend to enhance the total heat transfer rate, regardless of whether the fluids are Newtonian or micropolar fluids.

Thanks for the subsidy of the Outlay 92-2218-E-432-001 given by the National Science Council, the Republic of China, to help us finish this special research successfully.