FEM-CBS algorithm for convective transport of nanofluids in inclined enclosures filled with anisotropic non-Darcy porous media using LTNEM

PurposeThe Galerkin finite element method (FEM) based on the characteristic-based split (CBS) scheme is applied to simulate the nanofluid flow and thermal fields inside an inclined geometry filled by a heat-generating hydrodynamically and thermally anisotropic non-Darcy porous medium using the local thermal non-equilibrium model (LTNEM). Property of the hydrodynamic anisotropy is taken in both the Forchheimer coefficient and permeability and these tools are considered as functions of inclination of the principal axes. Also, the thermal conductivity for the porous phase is assumed to be anisotropic.Design/methodology/approachThe Galerkin FEM based on the CBS scheme is applied to solve the partial differential equations governing the flow and thermal fields.FindingsIt is noted that the net rate of the heat transfer between the nanofluid and solid phases are influenced by variations of the anisotropic properties. Also, the system is reached to the thermal equilibrium state at H > 100. Further, the maximum nanofluid temperature is reduced by 12.27% when the nanoparticles volume fraction is varied from 0% to 4%.Originality/valueThis paper aims to study the nanofluid flow and heat transfer characteristics inside an inclined enclosure filled with a heat-generating, hydrodynamically and thermally anisotropic porous medium using the CBS scheme. The LTNEM is considered between the nanofluid and porous phases while the local thermal equilibrium model (LTEM) between the base fluid (water) and the nanoparticles (alumina) is taken into account. The Galerkin FEM is introduced to discretize the governing system of equations. Also, examine influences of the anisotropic properties (permeability, Forchheimer terms and thermal conductivity of the porous medium), inclination angle and nanoparticles volume fraction on the net rate of the heat transfer between the nanofluid and porous phases and on the local thermal non-equilibrium state is one of the concerns of this paper.