Thermal-hydraulic performance and entropy generation analysis of hybrid nanofluid flow in a corrugated channel

Enhancing convective heat transfer in modern systems, such as compact heat exchangers, power electronics cooling, and solar panels remains a critical challenge. In this context, the present study numerically analyzes the thermo-hydraulic performance and entropy generation of a Cu-Al 2 O 3 /water hybrid nanofluid flowing in an inclined channel, with one wall subjected to a constant heat flux. In contrast, the opposite wall is corrugated and adiabatic to assess the balance between heat-transfer enhancement and energy consumption. Despite extensive research on corrugated channels and hybrid nanofluids, their combined effects on thermo-hydraulic performance and entropy generation in asymmetric geometries remain insufficiently understood. To address this gap, this study conducts a systematic parametric analysis by varying the Richardson number, channel inclination angle, corrugation number, corrugation amplitude, and nanofluid concentration. Detailed maps of the performance evaluation criterion (PEC) and entropy generation provide a comprehensive assessment of the trade-off between heat-transfer enhancement, hydraulic losses, and thermodynamic irreversibilities in asymmetric corrugated channels. The results show that tilting the channel vertically enhances natural convection, reducing entropy generation by about 40% and increasing the PEC nearly fivefold. Moderate wall undulations (0.3–0.4) offer a good balance, with around 36% lower entropy, and the PEC reaches 1.04–1.18. Increasing the Richardson number further enhances convection and doubles the PEC, while adding nanoparticles (around 10%) reduces entropy generation by up to 90% and raises the PEC to about 1.3, resulting in the optimal overall performance. These findings provide design guidelines for optimizing asymmetric corrugated channels with hybrid nanofluids, improving energy efficiency and reducing thermodynamic losses.