Thermophysical Characteristics of the Ferrofluid in a Vertical Rectangle

The article aimed to analytically investigate the thermophysical behaviors of a ferrofluid in a vertical rectangle with the variation of intensity of the magnetic field, viscosity of the ferrofluid and boundary conditions. The governing equations of the ferrofluid include the continuity, momentum and energy equations for describing the thermal-fluidic behaviors of the ferrofluid and the Maxwell equation and magnetization equation are also added to consider rotating effect of the nano-sized particles. The flow behavior and heat transfer characteristics of the ferrofluid with the intensity of the magnetic field, viscosities of the ferrofluid and boundary conditions were analyzed through isotherms, velocity profiles and both mean and local Nusselt numbers. As a result, the isotherms of the ferrofluid in the vertical rectangle increased with the increase of the magnetic volume fractions and magnetic field intensities. In addition, the mean Nusselt numbers increased with the increase of magnetite volume fractions at all magnetic field intensities because of the combined effects OPEN ACCESS Entropy 2015, 17 904 of both heat conduction by magnetite and the magnetic volume force.