Nonsimilarity solutions for non-Darcy mixed convection from horizontal surfaces in a porous medium

Non-Darcy mixed convection in a porous medium from horizontal surfaces with variable surface heat flux of the power-law distribution is analyzed. The entire mixed convection regime is divided into two regions. The first region covers the forced convection dominated regime where the dimensionless parameter ζ _f =Ra^* _x /Pe² _x is found to characterize the effect of buoyancy forces on the forced convection with K ^′ U _∞/ν characterizing the effect of inertia resistance. The second region covers the natural convection dominated regime where the dimensionless parameter ζ _n =Pe _x /Ra^*1/2 _x is found to characterize the effect of the forced flow on the natural convection, with (K ^′ U _∞/ν)Ra^*1/2 _x /Pe _x characterizing the effect of inertia resistance. To obtain the solution that covers the entire mixed convection regime the solution of the first regime is carried out for ζ _f =0, the pure forced convection limit, to ζ _f =1 and the solution of the second is carried out for ζ _n =0, the pure natural convection limit, to ζ _n =1. The two solutions meet and match at ζ _f =ζ _n =1, and R ^* _h =G ^* _h . Also a non-Darcy model was used to analyze mixed convection in a porous medium from horizontal surfaces with variable wall temperature of the power-law form. The entire mixed convection regime is divided into two regions. The first region covers the forced convection dominated regime where the dimensionless parameter ξ _f =Ra _x /Pe _x ^3/2 is found to measure the buoyancy effects on mixed convection with Da _x Pe _x /ɛ as the wall effects. The second region covers the natural convection dominated region where ξ _n =Pe _x /Ra _x ^2/3 is found to measure the force effects on mixed convection with Da _x Ra _x ^2/3/ɛ as the wall effects. Numerical results for different inertia, wall, variable surface heat flux and variable wall temperature exponents are presented. Received on 8 July 1996     

Inertia effects on mixed convection for vertical plates with variable wall temperature in saturated porous media

Mixed convection in a porous medium from a vertical plate with variable wall temperature is investigated. The entire mixed convection regime is divided into two regions and two sets of transformations are used. The first region is for the forced convection dominated regime (FCDR) and the other one is for the natural convection dominated regime (NCDR). The dimensionless parameterK′ U _∞/ν is found to characterize the effect of inertia resistance in the first region and the dimensionless parameter (K′ U _∞/ν (Ra _x /Pe _x ) is found to characterize the effect of inertia resistance in the second region. The solution of the first region is carried out from ξ _f =0.0 to ξ _f =1.0, and the solution of the second region is carried out from ξ _n =0.0 to ξ _n =1.0. Velocity and temperature profiles are calculated at different values of the governing parameters. Local Nusslet number variation for the entire mixed convection regime is also calculated and presented.     

Natural convection from a vertical cylinder in a thermally stratified porous medium

The problem of non-Darcy natural convection adjacent to a vertical cylinder embedded in a thermally stratified porous medium has been analyzed. Nonsimilarity solutions are obtained for the case that the ambient temperature increases linearly with height of the cylinder. A generalized flow model was used in the present study to include the effects of the macroscopic viscous term and the microscopic inertial force. Also, the thermal dispersion effect is considered in the energy equation. Thus, the main aim of this work is to examine the effects of thermal stratification and non-Darcy flow phenomena on the free convection flow and heat transfer characteristics. It was found that the present problem depends on six parameters, namely, the local thermal stratification parameter ξ, the boundary effect parameter Bp, the modified Grashof number Gr^*, wall temperature exponent m, the curvature parameter ω, and the modified Rayleigh number based on pore diameter Ra _d . The impacts of these governing parameters on the local heat transfer parameter are discussed in great detail. Also, representative velocity and temperature profiles are presented at selected values of the thermal stratification parameter. In general, the local heat transfer parameter is increased with increasing the values of m, ω, and Ra _d ; while it is decreased with increasing the values of ξ, Bp, and Gr^*. Received on 19 May 1998     

Influence of Variable Permeability on Combined Convection Along a Nonisothermal Wedge in a Saturated Porous Medium

Mixed convection along a vertical nonisothermal wedge embedded in a fluid-saturated porous media incorporating the variation of permeability and thermal conductivity is studied. The surface temperature is assumed to vary as a power of the axial coordinate measured from the leading edge of the plate. A nonsimilar mixed convection parameter and a pseudo-similarity variable are introduced to cast the governing boundary layer equations into a system of dimensionless equations which are solved numerically using finite difference method. The entire mixed convection regime is covered by the single nonsimilarity parameter =[1+(Ra _x /Pe _x )^1/2]^–1 from pure forced convection (=1) to pure free convection (=0). The problem is solved using nonsimilarity solution for the case of variable wall temperature. Velocity and temperature profiles as well as local Nusselt number are presented. The wedge angle geometry parameter is ranged from 0 to 1.     

Thermophoresis particle deposition in a non-Darcy porous medium under the influence of Soret, Dufour effects

Thermophoresis particle deposition in free convection on a vertical plate embedded in a fluid saturated non-Darcy porous medium is studied using similarity solution technique. The effect of Soret and Dufour parameters on concentration distribution, wall thermophoretic deposition velocity, heat transfer and mass transfer is discussed in detail for different values of dispersion parameters (Ra _γ, Ra _ξ) inertial parameter F and Lewis number Le. The result indicates that the Soret effect is more influential in increasing the concentration distribution in both aiding as well as opposing buoyancies. Also, the non-dimensional heat transfer coefficient and non-dimensional mass transfer coefficient changes according to different values of thermophoretic coefficient k.     

Radiation effect on mixed convection over an isothermal cone in porous media

The radiation effect on the mixed convection flow of an optically dense viscous fluid adjacent to an isothermal cone embedded in a saturated porous medium with Rosseland diffusion approximation is numerically investigated. The entire regime of the mixed convection is included, as the mixed convection parameter of χ varies from 0 (pure free convection) to 1 (pure forced convection). The transformed nonlinear system of equations is solved by using an implicit finite difference method. Numerical results are given for the dimensionless temperature profiles and the local Nusselt number for various values of the mixed convection parameter χ, the cone angle parameter m, the radiation-conduction parameter R _d and the surface temperature parameter H. The local Nusselt number decreases initially, reaches a minimum in the intermediate value of χ and then increases gradually. It is apparent that increasing the cone angle parameter m enhances the local Nusselt number. The local Nusselt number is significantly increased for the large values of the radiation-conduction parameter R _d and the surface temperature parameter H, i.e., radiation effect becomes pronounced. Received on 25 October 1999     

No slip boundary effects in non-Darcian mixed convection from a vertical wall in saturated porous media. Analytical solution

An analytical study is made for wall effects in non-Darcy mixed convection from vertical impermeable surfaces embedded in a saturated porous medium. The governing equations are transformed into a dimensionless form by non-similar transformation to cover both forced and natural convection dominated regimes. Two different dimensionless parameters that measure the strength of mixed convection were found in both regimes. The parameters of forced convection dominated regime can be related to those of natural convection dominated regime. An approximate analytical solution for the governing equations was obtained. Temperature and velocity profiles for both regimes are presented. Received on 9 September 1997     

Fully Developed Mixed Convection Flow Between Inclined Parallel Plates Filled with a Porous Medium

A fully developed mixed convection flow between inclined parallel flat plates filled with a porous medium is considered through which there is a constant flow rate and with heat being supplied to the fluid by the same uniform heat flux on each plate. The equations governing this flow are made non-dimensional and are seen to depend on two dimensionless parameters, a mixed convection parameter λ and the Péclet number Pe, as well as the inclination γ of the plates to the horizontal. The velocity and temperature profiles are obtained in terms of λ, Pe and γ when the channel is inclined in an upwards direction as well as for horizontal channels. The limiting cases of small and large λ and small Pe are considered with boundary-layer structures being seen to develop on the plates for large values of λ.     

Onset of Buoyancy-Driven Convection in Porous Media Saturated with Cold Water Cooled from Above

When porous media saturated with initially stagnant cold water around the density maximum temperature are cooled from above, convection may be induced in an unstable lower layer. In this study, the onset of buoyancy-driven convection during time-dependent cooling is investigated using the propagation theory, which transforms disturbance equations similarly, and also considering the density inversion effect. The critical Darcy–Rayleigh number Ra _D,c is found as a function of the dimensionless density maximum temperature θ _max. For Ra _D > Ra _D,c the dimensionless critical time τ _c to mark the onset of instability is presented as a function of Ra _D and θ _max. These critical conditions are compared with previous theoretical results.     

Steady mixed convection boundary-layer flow over a vertical flat surface in a porous medium filled with water at 4°C: variable surface heat flux

The steady mixed convection boundary-layer flow over a vertical impermeable surface in a porous medium saturated with water at 4°C (maximum density) when the surface heat flux varies as x ^m and the velocity outside the boundary layer varies as x ^(1+2m)/2, where x measures the distance from the leading edge, is discussed. Assisting and opposing flows are considered with numerical solutions of the governing equations being obtained for general values of the flow parameters. For opposing flows, there are dual solutions when the mixed convection parameter λ is greater than some critical value λ _c (dependent on the power-law index m). For assisting flows, solutions are possible for all values of λ. A lower bound on m is found, m > −1 being required for solutions. The nature of the critical point λ _c is considered as well as various limiting forms; the forced convection limit (λ = 0), the free convection limit (λ → ∞) and the limits as m → ∞ and as m → −1.     

Mixed convection flow of second grade fluid along a vertical stretching flat surface with variable surface temperature

In the present study we have explored the effects of thermal buoyancy on flow of a viscoelastic second grade fluid past a vertical, continuous stretching sheet of which the velocity and temperature distributions are assumed to vary according to a power-law form. The governing differential equations are transformed into dimensionless form using appropriate transformations and then solved numerically. The methods here employed are (1) the perturbation method together with the Shanks transformation, (2) the local non-similarity method with second level of truncation and (3) the implicit finite difference method for values of ξ ( = Gr _x /Re _x ², defined as local mixed convection parameter) ranging in [0, 10]. The comparison between the solutions obtained by the aforementioned methods found in excellent agreement. Effects of the elasticity parameter λ on the skin-friction and heat transfer coefficients have been shown graphically for the fluids having the values of the Prandtl number equal to 0.72, 7.03 and 15.0. Effects of the viscoelastic parameter and the mixed convection parameter, ξ, on the temperature and velocity fields have also been studied. We notice that with the increase in visco-elastic parameter λ, velocity decreases whereas temperature increases and that velocity gradient is higher than that of temperature. On leave of absence from the Department of Mathematics, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.     

Hydromagnetic free convection flow with induced magnetic field effects

An exact solution is presented for the hydromagnetic natural convection boundary layer flow past an infinite vertical flat plate under the influence of a transverse magnetic field with magnetic induction effects included. The transformed ordinary differential equations are solved exactly, under physically appropriate boundary conditions. Closed-form expressions are obtained for the non-dimensional velocity (u), non-dimensional induced magnetic field component (B _x ) and wall frictional shearing stress i.e. skin friction function (τ _x ) as functions of dimensionless transverse coordinate (η), Grashof free convection number (G _r ) and the Hartmann number (M). The bulk temperature in the boundary layer (Θ) is also evaluated and shown to be purely a function of M. The Rayleigh flow distribution (R) is derived and found to be a function of both Hartmann number (M) and the buoyant diffusivity parameter (ϑ ^*). The influence of Grashof number on velocity, induced magnetic field and wall shear stress profiles is computed. The response of Rayleigh flow distribution to Grashof numbers ranging from 2 to 200 is also discussed as is the influence of Hartmann number on the bulk temperature. Rayleigh flow is demonstrated to become stable with respect to the width of the boundary layer region and intensifies with greater magnetic field i.e. larger Hartman number M, for constant buoyant diffusivity parameter ϑ ^*. The induced magnetic field (B _x ), is elevated in the vicinity of the plate surface with a rise in free convection (buoyancy) parameter G _r , but is reduced over the central zone of the boundary layer regime. Applications of the study include laminar magneto-aerodynamics, materials processing and MHD propulsion thermo-fluid dynamics.     

Mixed convection film condensation from downward flowing vapors onto a sphere with uniform wall heat flux

A model is developed for the study of mixed convection film condensation from downward flowing vapors onto a sphere with uniform wall heat flux. The model combined natural convection dominated and forced convection dominated film condensation, including effects of pressure gradient and interfacial vapor shear drag has been investigated and solved numerically. The separation angle of the condensate film layer, φ _s is also obtained for various pressure gradient parameters, P ^* and their corresponding dimensionless Grashof?'s parameters, Gr ^*. Besides, the effect of P ^* on the dimensionless mean heat transfer, will remain almost uniform with increasing P ^* until for various corresponding available values of Gr ^*. Meanwhile, the dimensionless mean heat transfer, is increasing significantly with Gr ^* for its corresponding available values of P ^*. For pure natural-convection film condensation, is obtained.     

Effect of the surface thermal radiation on turbulent natural convection in tall cavities of façade elements

The effect of the surface thermal radiation in tall cavities with turbulent natural convection regime was analyzed and quantified numerically. The parameters considered were: the Rayleigh number 10⁹–10¹², the aspect ratio 20, 40 and 80 and the emmisivity 0.0–1.0. The percentage contribution of the radiative surface to the total heat transfer has a maximum value of  15.19% (Ra = 10⁹, A = 20) with emissivity equal to 1.0 and a minimum of 0.5% (Ra = 10¹², A = 80) with ε* = 0.2. The average radiative Nusselt number for a fixed emissivity is independent of the Rayleigh number, but for a fixed Rayleigh number diminishes with the increase of the aspect ratio. The results indicate that the surface thermal radiation does not modify significantly the flow pattern in the cavity, just negligible effects in the bottom and top of the cavity were observed. Two different temperature patterns were observed a conductive regime Ra = 10⁹ and a boundary layer regime Ra = 10¹².     

Prediction of natural convection flow using network model and numerical simulations inside enclosure with distributed solid blocks

Steady state natural convection of a fluid with Pr ≈ 1 within a square enclosure containing uniformly distributed, conducting square solid blocks is investigated. The side walls are subjected to differential heating, while the top and bottom ones are kept adiabatic. The natural convection flow is predicted employing the nondimensional volumetric flow rate (Q_max^* Q_{\max }^{*} ) by using a network model and also using numerical simulations. For identical solid and fluid thermal conductivities (i.e. k _s  = k _f ), a parametric study of the effect of number of blocks (N ²), gap size (δ) and enclosure Rayleigh number (Ra) on Q_max^* Q_{\max }^{*} is performed using the two approaches. Network model predictions are observed to agree well with that from the simulations until Raδ³ ~ 12. Considering the enclosure with blocks as a porous medium, for a fixed enclosure Ra number, increasing the number of blocks for a fixed volumetric porosity leads to a decrease in enclosure permeability, which in turn reduces the flow rate. When the number of blocks is fixed, and for a given Ra number, the flow rate increases as the porosity increases by widening the gap between the blocks.     

Mixed Convection of Water at 4°C Along a Wedge with Variable Surface Flux in a Porous Medium

In this study, the mixed convection of water at 4°C along a wedge in a porous medium is investigated numerically using finite difference method. In order to explore the effect of mixed convection, both forced and free convection-dominated regimes are considered. Non-similarity solutions are obtained for the variable wall flux boundary condition. Velocity and temperature profiles as well as local dimensionless skin friction and Nusselt number are obtained and compared with the available numerical results for various values of different parameters. The wedge angle geometry parameter m and mixed convection parameter ξ are ranged from 0 to 1 in both regimes whereas different values of λ are considered for the purpose of comparison of heat transfer results.     

Analytical Solution for the Effect of Viscous Dissipation on Mixed Convection in Saturated Porous Media

A new analytical solution is introduced for the effect of viscous dissipation on mixed convection flow and heat transfer about an isothermal vertical wall embedded in Darcy and non-Darcy porous media with uniform free stream velocity. The effect of viscous dissipation on mixed convection in both regimes has been analyzed for both the aiding and opposing flows using Gebhart number, Ge _x =gx/c _p. The governing parameters are Re, Ra, Pe and Ge _x . The case of Re=0 corresponds to Darcy mixed convection region and Re/Pe is identified as the mixed convection governing parameter, Ra=0 leading to pure forced convection. A good agreement was found between the numerical and analytical solutions. It was found from the Nusselt number results that viscous dissipation lowers the heat transfer rate in both Darcy and Forchheimer flow regimes for aiding as well as opposing flows.     

Darcy-Forchheimer natural,forced and mixed convection heat transfer in non-Newtonian power-law fluid-saturated porous media

The governing equation for Darcy-Forchheimer flow of non-Newtonian inelastic power-law fluid through porous media has been derived from first principles. Using this equation, the problem of Darcy-Forchheimer natural, forced, and mixed convection within the porous media saturated with a power-law fluid has been solved using the approximate integral method. It is observed that a similarity solution exists specifically for only the case of an isothermal vertical flat plate embedded in the porous media. The results based on the approximate method, when compared with existing exact solutions show an agreement of within a maximum error bound of 2.5%.Nomenclature A cross-sectional area - b _i coefficient in the chosen temperature profile - B ₁ coefficient in the profile for the dimensionless boundary layer thickness - C coefficient in the modified Forchheimer term for power-law fluids - C ₁ coefficient in the Oseen approximation which depends essentially on pore geometry - C _i coefficient depending essentially on pore geometry - C _D drag coefficient - C _t coefficient in the expression forK ^* - d particle diameter (for irregular shaped particles, it is characteristic length for average-size particle) - f _p resistance or drag on a single particle - F _R total resistance to flow offered byN particles in the porous media - g acceleration due to gravity - g _x component of the acceleration due to gravity in thex-direction - Grashof number based on permeability for power-law fluids - K intrinsic permeability of the porous media - K ^* modified permeability of the porous media for flow of power-law fluids - l _c characteristic length - m exponent in the gravity field - n power-law index of the inelastic non-Newtonian fluid - N total number of particles - Nux,_D,F local Nusselt number for Darcy forced convection flow - Nux,_D-F,F local Nusselt number for Darcy-Forchheimer forced convection flow - Nux,_D,M local Nusselt number for Darcy mixed convection flow - Nux,_D-F,M local Nusselt number for Darcy-Forchheimer mixed convection flow - Nux,_D,N local Nusselt number for Darcy natural convection flow - Nux,_D-F,N local Nusselt number for Darcy-Forchheimer natural convection flow - pressure - p exponent in the wall temperature variation - _Pe c characteristic Péclet number - _Pe x local Péclet number for forced convection flow - _Pe x modified local Péclet number for mixed convection flow - _Ra c characteristic Rayleigh number - _Ra x local Rayleigh number for Darcy natural convection flow - _Ra x local Rayleigh number for Darcy-Forchheimer natural convection flow - Re convectional Reynolds number for power-law fluids - Reynolds number based on permeability for power-law fluids - T temperature - T _e ambient constant temperature - T w,_ref constant reference wall surface temperature - T _w(X) variable wall surface temperature - T _w temperature difference equal toT w,_ref–T _e - T ₁ term in the Darcy-Forchheimer natural convection regime for Newtonian fluids - T ₂ term in the Darcy-Forchheimer natural convection regime for non-Newtonian fluids (first approximation) - T _N term in the Darcy/Forchheimer natural convection regime for non-Newtonian fluids (second approximation) - u Darcian or superficial velocity - u ₁ dimensionless velocity profile - u _e external forced convection flow velocity - u _s seepage velocity (local average velocity of flow around the particle) - u _w wall slip velocity - U c _M characteristic velocity for mixed convection - U c _N characteristic velocity for natural convection - x, y boundary-layer coordinates - x ₁,y ₁ dimensionless boundary layer coordinates - X coefficient which is a function of flow behaviour indexn for power-law fluids - effective thermal diffusivity of the porous medium - shape factor which takes a value of/4 for spheres - shape factor which takes a value of/6 for spheres - ₀ expansion coefficient of the fluid - _T boundary-layer thickness - T ₁ dimensionless boundary layer thickness - porosity of the medium - similarity variable - dimensionless temperature difference - coefficient which is a function of the geometry of the porous media (it takes a value of 3 for a single sphere in an infinite fluid) - ₀ viscosity of Newtonian fluid - ^* fluid consistency of the inelastic non-Newtonian power-law fluid - constant equal toX(2 ^2–n )/ - density of the fluid - dimensionless wall temperature difference     

Non-Darcian and Anisotropic Effects on Free Convection in a Porous Enclosure

The free convective flow and heat transfer, within the framework of Boussinesq approximation, in an anisotropic fluid filled porous rectangular enclosure subjected to end-to-end temperature difference have been investigated using Brinkman extended non-Darcy flow model. The studies involve simultaneous consideration of hydrodynamic and thermal anisotropy. The flow and temperature fields in general are governed by, Ra, the Rayleigh number, AR, the aspect ratio of the slab, K*, the permeability ratio and k*, the thermal conductivity ratio, and Da, Darcy number. Numerical solutions employing the successive accelerated replacement (SAR) scheme have been obtained for 100 ≤ Ra ≤ 1000, 0.5 ≤ AR ≤ 5, 0.5 ≤ K* ≤ 5, 0.5 ≤ k* ≤ 5, and 0 ≤ Da ≤ 0.1. It has been found that [`(Nu)]{\overline {Nu}}, average Nusselt number increases with increase in K* and decreases as k* increases. However, the magnitude of the change in [`(Nu)]{\overline {Nu}} depends on the parameter Da, characterizing the Brinkman extended non-Darcy flow.     

Forced convection of a power-law fluid in a porous channel – numerical solutions

A detailed numerical study of laminar forced convection in a porous channel which contains a fibrous medium saturated with a power-law fluid was performed. Hydrodynamic and heat transfer results are presented for a configuration that has uniform heat flux or uniform temperature heating at the walls. The flow in the porous medium was modeled using the modified Brinkman-Forchheimer-extended Darcy model for power law fluids in which the non-Darcy effects of inertia and boundary were considered. Parametric studies were conducted to examine the effects of Darcy number, power law index, inertia parameter and Prandtl number. The results indicate that when the power law index is decreased, the velocity gradient near the walls increases but these effects are reduced gradually as the Darcy number decreases until the Darcy regime (Da≤10⁻⁶) is reached in which case the effects of power law index become negligible. As the power law index is decreased, the thermal boundary layer thickness decreases significantly only in the non-Darcy regime. Consequently, as the power law index decreases, the fully developed Nusselt number increases considerably in the non-Darcy regime whereas in the Darcy regime the change in Nusselt number is very small. As the Prandtl number increases, the local Nusselt number increases and this effect is more significant for shear thinning fluids (n<1.0). Received on 2 March 1998