24 Journal of Advanced Thermal Science Research, 2016, 3, 24-32
E-ISSN: 2409-5826/16 © 2016 Avanti Publishers
Analysis of Entropy Generation in a Generalized Couette Flow
between Two Concentric Pipes with Buoyancy Effect
A. S. Eegunjobi
1
, O. D. Makinde
2
and A. P. Oluwagunwa
3,*
1
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Private Bag
13388, 13 Storch Street, Windhoek, Namibia
2
Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X2, Saldanha 7395, South Africa
3
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria
Abstract: Heat transfer and entropy generation analysis in buoyancy driven generalized Couette flow of variable
viscosity fluid within the annulus of two concentric cylindrical pipes are theoretically investigated. It is assumed that the
inner cylinder is fixed while the outer one is subjected to axial motion. The governing nonlinear equation models are
obtained and solved numerically using shooting quadrature. The results for velocity and temperature profiles are utilized
to compute entropy generation number and the Bejan number. Relevant results are displayed graphically and discussed
quantitatively.
Keywords: Generalized couette flow, concentric pipe annulus, variable viscosity, bouyancy force, heat transfer,
entropy generation.
1. INTRODUCTION
Couette flows occur either between two parallel flat
plates or between concentric cylinders. Generalized
Couette flow differs from couette flow due to the fact
that pressure gradient is superimpose in the direction
of the flow. These flows have many significance
applications in engineering and industries such as
MHD pumps, MHD generators, accelerators, flow
meters and nuclear reactors, journal bearing,
aerodynamic heating and metal extrusion. Makinde and
Franks [1] investigated the effect of magnetic field on a
reactive unsteady generalized couette flow with
temperature dependent viscosity and thermal
conductivity. Attia and Sayed-Ahmed [2] studied the
unsteady MHD flow of an electrical conducting viscous
incompressible non-Newtonian ocasson fluid bounded
by two parallel non-conducting porous plates with heat
transfer putting into consideration the Hall effects.
Theuri and Makinde [3] conducted an analysis of
the first and second law of thermodynamics on a
temperature dependent viscosity hydromagnetic
generalized unsteady Couette flow with permeable
walls. Asghara and Ahmada [4] constructed the
analytic solution for unsteady Couette flow in the
presence of an arbitrary non-uniform applied magnetic
field. Chinyoka and Makinde [5] investigated the
transient problem of generalized Couette flow and heat
*Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Mathematics and
Statistics, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria;
E-mail: petergunwa@gmail.com
transfer in a reactive variable viscosity third grade liquid
with asymmetric convective cooling. Eegunjobi and
Makinde [6] numerically investigated the entropy
generation rate in a transient variable viscosity Couette
flow between two concentric pipes. A list of the key
references in the vast literatures concerning Couette
flow and generalized Couette flow are given in
references [7-11].
In this paper, we consider the irreversibility analysis
in a generalized Couette flow within the annulus of
concentric pipes with buoyancy effect and variable
viscosity. In the flow, the outer cylinder moves in the
axial direction while the inner cylinder remains fixed.
Mathematical formulation of the problem is given in
section two while the entropy generation analysis is
presented in section three. The models boundary value
problem are tackled numerically using shooting
quadrature coupled with Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg
integration scheme. Relevant results are presented
graphically and discussed quantitatively for velocity,
temperature, skin friction, Nusselt number, entropy
generation rate and Bejan number.
2. MATHEMATICAL MODEL
The steady flow of an incompressible viscous fluid
between two concentric cylindrical pipes separated by
r
1
! r
0
in a generalized Couette flow with the inner
cylinder stationary and the outer cylinder moving is
considered in the presence of buoyancy effect as
shown in Figure 1.