The Computational Investigation of Hybrid Ferro fluid Flow in Porous L-Shaped Cavity with Circular Cylinder

Abstract

Hybrid nanofluids (HNFs) have become advanced working fluids because they have better thermo-physical properties and can enhance heat transfer (HT) in complicated thermal systems. This study examines the improvement of heat transmission in an L-shaped porous enclosure featuring a centrally located circular cylinder, utilizing a hybrid Ferro-nanofluid composed of Fe₃O₄ and Al₂O₃ through the Finite Element Method (FEM) based on Galerkin weighted residual (GWR). Also, the Darcy-Brinkman-Forchheimer comprehensive approach has been used to show how fluids move through porous media. The governing parameters, including the Darcy number (10^-5< Da <10^-1),  Rayleigh number (10⁵< Ra <10¹⁰),  Ha = 10, Re = 100 and various size of the cylinder have been selected to assess the impact. The computational findings of the flow and thermal fields are depicted using streamlines, isotherms, and the average heat transfer rate at the cavity's hot surface. The numerical findings show that the hybrid Ferro-nanofluid has improved HT capabilities compared to typical nanofluids, which is attributed to the synergistic effects of the nanoparticles. The circular cylinder significantly improves the strength of convection and the associated temperature gradients. A reduction in permeability suppresses fluid circulation, while larger Rayleigh numbers make stronger buoyancy-driven vortices into the cavity. The finding reveal that Fe₃O₄–Al₂O₃ HNFs and irregular porous geometries perform well for enhanced thermal management, renewable energy devices, and tiny cooling applications.