Numerical study of magnetic fields effects on the electrical conducting non-Newtonian ferrofluid flow through a vertical channel

This Study presents a numerical investigation of the hydro-thermal behavior of a Non-Newtonian ferrofluid (non-Newtonian base fluid and 4% Vol. Fe3O4) in a rectangular vertical duct in the presence of different magnetic fields, using two-phase mixture model, power-law model, and control volume technique. Considering the electrical conductivity of the base fluid, in addition to the ferrohydrodynamics principles, the magnetohydrodynamics principles have also been taken into account. To study the effects of non-Newtonian base fluid using power-law model, assuming the same flow consistency index with viscosity of Newtonian fluid, two different power law indexes (i.e., n=0.8 and 0.6), have been investigated and the results have been compared with that of Newtonian ones (i.e., n=1). Three cases for magnetic field have been considered to study mixed convection of the ferrofluid: non-uniform axial field, uniform transverse field and another case when both fields are applied simultaneously. The results indicate that the overall influence of magnetic fields on Nusselt number and friction factor is similar to the Newtonian case, although, by decreasing the power law index, the effect of axial field on velocity profile, Nusselt number and friction factor become more significant. Moreover, the results indicate that electrical conductivity has a significant effect on the behavior of ferrofluid and cannot be neglected and also negative gradient axial field and uniform transverse field act similarly and enhance both the Nusselt number and the friction factor, while positive gradient axial field decreases them.