Numerical Analysis of Thermal and Hydraulic Performance of Pulsating Nanofluid Flow Over Cam-Shaped Tube Bundles

In this study, the hydraulic and thermal performance of laminar pulsating nanofluid flow over a cam-shaped tube bundle was investigated. Numerical solutions were carried out with the ANSYS Fluent software. As a working fluid, CuO-water nanofluid was used at a constant particle volume fraction (phi = 5%). The effects of Reynolds number (Re), pulsating amplitude (A), and Womersley number (Wo) on flow and heat transfer were analyzed. The flow and temperature contours were obtained, and the friction factor and thermal enhancement were discussed. The findings of the study revealed that heat transfer was considerably affected by the Reynolds number, pulsating frequency, and pulsating amplitude. It was observed that there was a critical pulsating frequency (Wo = 14) for the thermal enhancement, and the heat transfer decreased after this frequency value. Compared to the steady flow of the base fluid, in the pulsating nanofluid flow, the Nusselt number (Nu) increased 1.81 times (Re = 200, A = 1, and Wo = 14), and the maximum relative friction factor was found to be 3.59 (Re = 800, A = 1, and Wo = 20). The highest thermo-hydraulic performance was obtained as 1.62 at Re = 200, A = 1, and Wo = 10.