Nusselt-Rayleigh correlations for free convection in 2D air-filled parallelogrammic enclosures with isothermal active walls

In the present study Nu-Ra-α correlations are proposed to calculate the steady-state natural convection heat transfer taking place in 2D air-filled cavities of parallelogrammic section. The thermal conditions and the dimensions of the enclosures permit to cover a large range of Rayleigh numbers, 1.7 × 10³  ≤ Ra ≤ 3.0 × 10⁹, suitable for diverse engineering applications. The two active walls of the cavities are kept vertical and isothermal at hot and cold temperatures T _h and T _c respectively. Separated by a horizontal distance H, they have the same height H and are connected by a closed adiabatic channel whose upper and lower walls can be inclined at an angle α with respect to the horizontal, varying between −60° to +60°. That gives rise to a conducting or insulating cavity, in the convective sense of the term (diode cavity). A computational model based on the finite volume method is used to solve the governing equations. The large number of treated configurations led to propose Nu-Ra-α correlations for large ranges of Ra and α which can be applied to many engineering areas. The results of this numerical study have been successfully compared with calculated and measured available data.     

Overall thermal diffusivity of materials using a 3D cartesian model. Effect of sample geometry on the measurements

In this work, we analyse the influence of the sample shape on the experimental determination of the thermal diffusivity of materials used in several engineering fields. By means of a simple method we obtain good estimations of the overall thermal diffusivity for homogeneous or inhomogeneous materials. The method is based on the combination of simple temperature measurements with the analytical solution of the 3D differential Fourier’s equation applied to cartesian geometry. The classical transient analytical solution based on the separation of space and time variables is adapted to particular thermal boundary conditions. By associating these solutions with the measurements obtained on a simple experimental bench, the thermal characterization of materials can be achieved with a satisfactory precision. The present 3D study attempts to complete previous works dealing with cartesian and cylindrical 1D and 2D models. Based on the same procedure, it sheds further light on the fast multidimensional surface phenomena of heat exchange. Although we conclude that the 3D model does not provide the directional values typical of anisotropic materials, our results revealed that thermal diffusivity can be useful in other respects, being advantageous in the overall thermal characterization needed for sizing certain systems.     

Thermal design of a spherical electronic device naturally cooled by means of water–copper nanofluid saturated porous media

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The present work deals with thermal regulation of a spherical electronic device used in naval navigation techniques. Cooling is achieved by means of...