Experimental investigation of mixed convection heat transfer in a horizontal and inclined rectangular channel

 Mixed convection heat transfer in rectangular channels has been investigated experimentally under various operating conditions. The lower surface of the channel is subjected to a uniform heat flux, sidewalls are insulated and adiabatic, and the upper surface is exposed to the surrounding fluid. Experiments were conducted for Pr=0.7, aspect ratios AR=5 and 10, inclination angles 0° ≤ θ ≤ 30°, Reynolds numbers 50 ≤ Re ≤ 1000, and modified Grashof numbers Gr*=7.0 × 10⁵ to 4.0 × 10⁷. From the parametric study, local Nusselt number distributions were obtained and effects of channel inclination, surface heat flux and Reynolds number on the onset of instability were investigated. Results related to the buoyancy affected secondary flow and the onset of instability have been discussed. Some of the results obtained from the experimental measurements are also compared with the literature, and a good agreement was observed. The onset of instability was found to move upstream for increasing Grashof number and increasing aspect ratio. On the other hand, onset of instability was delayed for increasing Reynolds number and increasing inclination angle. Received on 19 March 2001 / Published online: 29 November 2001     

Mixed convection heat transfer from a horizontal channel with protruding heat sources

A numerical investigation is carried out to study fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of conjugate mixed convection from a two dimensional horizontal channel with four protruding heat sources mounted on one of the finite thick channel walls. The flow is assumed as laminar, hydrodynamically and thermally developing. Water and FC70 are the fluids under consideration. The geometric parameters such as spacing between the channel walls (S), size of protruding heat sources (L_h×t_h), thickness of substrate (t) and spacing between heat sources (b) are fixed. Results are presented to show the effect of parameters such as Re_S, Gr_S^*, Pr, k_p/k_f and k_s/k_f on fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics. Using the method of asymptotic expansions, correlations are also presented for the maximum temperature of heat source.     

Mixed convection in a vertical channel with discrete heat sources at the wall

The mixed convection in a vertical plane-parallel channel with two heat sources of finite dimensions located at the wall is analyzed on the basis of a two-dimensional numerical simulation. The effect of the distance between the heat sources on the flow pattern and the temperature field is studied. Calculations are performed on the Grashof and Reynolds number ranges from 0–10⁵ and 0–10, respectively, at a Prandtl number of 0.7. The mathematical model is based on the time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations in the Boussinesq approximation. The problem is solved by the finite element method.     

Interaction of surface radiation with conjugate mixed convection from a vertical channel with multiple discrete heat sources

Important results of a numerical study performed on combined conduction–mixed convection–surface radiation from a vertical channel equipped with three identical flush-mounted discrete heat sources in its left wall are provided here. The channel has walls of identical height with the spacing varied by varying its aspect ratio (AR). The cooling medium is air that is considered to be radiatively transparent. The heat generated in the channel gets conducted along its walls before getting dissipated by mixed convection and radiation. The governing equations for fluid flow and heat transfer are considered without boundary layer approximations and are transformed into vorticity–stream function form and are later normalized. The resulting equations are solved, along with relevant boundary conditions, making use of the finite volume method. The computer code written for the purpose is validated both for fluid flow and heat transfer results with those available in the literature. Detailed parametric studies have been performed and the effects of modified Richardson number, surface emissivity, thermal conductivity and AR on various pertinent results have been looked into. The significance of radiation in various regimes of mixed convection has been elucidated. The relative contributions of mixed convection and radiation in carrying the mandated cooling load have been thoroughly explored.     

A numerical study of mixed convection in a horizontal channel with a discrete heat source in an open cavity

This article aims to numerically investigate mixed convection heat transfer in a two-dimensional horizontal channel with an open cavity. A discrete heat source is considered to be located on one of the walls of the cavity. Three different heating modes are considered which relate to the location of the heat source on three different walls (left, right and bottom) of the cavity. The analysis is carried out for a range of Richardson numbers and cavity aspect ratios. The results show that there are noticeable differences among the three heating modes. When the heat source is located on the right wall, the cavity with an aspect ratio of two has the highest heat transfer rate compared to other cavity heating modes. Moreover, when the heat source is located on the bottom wall, the flow field in the cavity with an aspect ratio of two experiences a fluctuating behaviour for Richardson number of 10. The results also show that at a fixed value of Richardson number, all three different heating modes show noticeable improvements in the heat transfer mechanism as the cavity aspect ratio increases.     

Experimental investigation of heat transfer and flow pattern from heated horizontal rectangular fin array under natural convection

This paper presents results of the experimental study conducted on heated horizontal rectangular fin array under natural convection. The temperature mapping and the prediction of the flow patterns over the fin array with variable fin spacing is carried out. Dimensionless fin spacing to height (S/H) ratio is varied from 0.05 to 0.3 and length to height ratio (L/H) = 5 is kept constant. The heater input to the fin array assembly is varied from 25 to 100 W. The single chimney flow pattern is observed from 8 to 12 mm fin spacing. The end flow is choked below 6 mm fin spacing. The single chimney flow pattern changes to sliding or end flow choking at 6 mm fin spacing. The average heat transfer coefficient (h_a) is very small (2.52–5.78 W/m² K) at 100 W for S = 5–12 mm. The h_a is very small (1.12–1.8 W/m² K) at 100 W for 2–4 mm fin spacing due to choked fin array end condition. The end flow is not sufficient to reach up to central portion of fin array and in the middle portion there is an unsteady down and up flow pattern resulting in sliding chimney. The central bottom portion of fin array channel does not contribute much in heat dissipation for S = 2–4 mm. The h_a has significantly improved at higher spacing as compared to lower spacing region. The single chimney flow pattern is preferred from heat transfer point of view. The optimum spacing is confirmed in the range of 8–10 mm. The average heat transfer results are compared with previous literature and showed similar trend and satisfactory agreement. An empirical equation has been proposed to correlate the average Nusselt number as a function of Grashof number and fin spacing to height ratio. The average error for this equation is ?0.32 %.     

Conjugate natural convection from an array of discrete heat sources: part 2 — a numerical parametric study

Coupled conduction and natural convection transport within a discretely heated cavity have been investigated numerically. One vertical wall of the cavity is composed of discrete, isoflux heat sources mounted in a substrate of finite thermal conductivity. The opposite vertical wall and the horizontal walls are assumed to be isothermal and adiabatic, respectively. The governing steady-state partial differential equations for the fluid and solid region are solved simultaneously using a control volume formulation, coupled with an additive correction multigrid procedure that increases the convergence rate of the solution. The fluid Prandtl number and heater/fluid thermal conductivity ratio are fixed at 25 and 2350, respectively, corresponding to a dielectric fluid (FC-77) and heaters manufactured from silicon. With increasing modified Rayleigh number (10⁴ < Ra_Lz^* < 109), the cavity flow becomes more boundary layer-like along the vertical walls, and multiple fluid cells develop in the central region. Thermal spreading in the substrate increases with decreasing modified Rayleigh number and with increasing values of the substrate/fluid thermal conductivity ratio (10⁻¹ <- R_s ≤ 10³). For large R_s, the discrete heat sources lose their thermal identity, and the streamlines and isotherms resemble those associated with a differentially heated cavity. Thermal spreading in the substrate also has a significant effect on circulation in the cavity and on maximum surface temperatures.     

Conjugate mixed convection with surface radiation from a vertical electronic board with multiple discrete heat sources

The problem of combined conduction-mixed convection-surface radiation from a vertical electronic board provided with three identical flush-mounted discrete heat sources is solved numerically. The cooling medium is air that is considered to be radiatively transparent. The governing equations for fluid flow and heat transfer are converted from primitive variable form to stream function-vorticity formulation. The equations, thus obtained, are normalised and then are converted into algebraic form using a finite volume based finite difference method. The resulting algebraic equations are then solved using Gauss–Seidel iterative method. An optimum grid system comprising 151 grids along the board and 111 grids across the board is chosen. The effects of various parameters, such as modified Richardson number, surface emissivity and thermal conductivity on temperature distribution along the board, maximum board temperature and relative contributions of mixed convection and radiation to heat dissipation are studied in detail. Further, the contributions of free and forced convection components of mixed convection to board temperature distribution and peak board temperature are brought out. The exclusive roles played by surface radiation and buoyancy in the present problem are clearly elucidated.     

Characterization of fluid flow patterns and heat transfer in horizontal channel mixed convection

Two mechanisms of roll initiation are highlighted in a horizontal channel flow, uniformly heated from below, at constant heat flux (Γ = 10, Pr = 7, 50 ≤ Re ≤ 100, 0 ≤ Ra ≤ 10⁶). The first mechanism is the classical one, it occurs for low Rayleigh numbers and is initiated by the lateral wall effect. The second occurs for higher Rayleigh numbers and combines the previous effect with a supercritical vertical temperature gradient in the lower boundary layer, which simultaneously triggers pairs of rolls in the whole zone in between the two lateral rolls. We have found that in the present configuration, the transition between the two roll initiation mechanisms occurs for Ra/Re ² ≈ 18. Consequently, the heat transfer is significantly enhanced compared to the pure forced convection case owing to the flow pattern responsible of the continuous flooding the heated wall with cold fluid.     

Conjugate natural convection from an array of discrete heat sources: part 1 — two- and three-dimensional model validation

Two- and three-dimensional (2- and 3-D) numerical models have been developed for conjugate natural convection in a discretely heated cavity. Experimental results obtained for the same geometry, using water and FC-77 as the coolants, were in excellent agreement with the 3-D numerical predictions. In contrast, because of the inability to account for thermal spreading in the lateral direction, the 2-D model overpredicted measured average surface temperatures of the discrete heat sources. However, the 2-D model still predicted general trends and flow patterns that were experimentally obtained. The nature and extent of 3-D effects on the flow and heat transfer have been delineated.     

Computation of conjugate heat transfer in the turbulent mixed convection regime in a vertical channel with multiple heat sources

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive numerical study to analyze conjugate, turbulent mixed convection heat transfer from a vertical channel with four heat sources, uniformly flush-mounted to one of the channel walls. The results are presented to study the effect of various parameters like thermal conductivity of wall material (k _s), thermal conductivity of flush-mounted discrete heat source (k _c), Reynolds number of fluid flow (Re _s), modified Richardson number (Ri ⁺) and aspect ratio (AR) of the channel. The standard k-ε turbulence model, modified by including buoyancy effects with physical boundary conditions, i.e. without wall functions, has been used for the analysis. Semi-staggered, non-uniform grids are used to discretise the two dimensional governing equations, using finite volume method. A correlation, encompassing a wide range of parameters, is developed for the non-dimensional maximum temperature (T ^*) using the asymptotic computational fluid dynamics (ACFD) technique.     

Experimental investigation of free convection above a heated horizontal wire

Results are presented of an experimental investigation of the convective plume above a fine horizontal wire, heated by a constant current in air and in water. The temperature distribution in the plume was investigated using the IAB-451 shadow instrument in the diffraction interferometry method. The experimental results are in good agreement with laminar convection theories above a linear heat source. In the air, a comparison was made with the experimental results of other authors.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhicheskoi Fiziki, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 169–173, March–April, 1970.The author wishes to express his indebtedness to V. D. Zimin and N. V. Eyzhanov for their assistance with numerical solutions of Eqs. (1.3).     

Experimental investigation of natural convection heat transfer in horizontal and inclined annular fluid layers

In the present study, an experimental investigation of heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics of buoyancy-driven flow in horizontal and inclined annuli bounded by concentric tubes has been carried out. The annulus inner surface is maintained at high temperature by applying heat flux to the inner tube while the annulus outer surface is maintained at low temperature by circulating cooling water at high mass flow rate around the outer tube. The experiments were carried out at a wide range of Rayleigh number (5 × 10⁴ < Ra < 5 × 10⁵) for different annulus gap widths (L/D _o = 0.23, 0.3, and 0.37) and different inclination of the annulus (α = 0°, 30° and 60°). The results showed that: (1) increasing the annulus gap width strongly increases the heat transfer rate, (2) the heat transfer rate slightly decreases with increasing the inclination of the annulus from the horizontal, and (3) increasing Ra increases the heat transfer rate for any L/D _o and at any inclination. Correlations of the heat transfer enhancement due to buoyancy driven flow in an annulus has been developed in terms of Ra, L/D _o and α. The prediction of the correlation has been compared with the present and previous data and fair agreement was found.     

Experimental investigation of fluid convection in a closed toroidal channel

The results of investigating convective fluid motion in a closed toroidal channel are analyzed and compared with the results of calculations based on the Lorenz model. It is shown that this model adequately describes the fluid convection only in the case of a large aspect ratio of the mean radius of the torus to its cross-sectional dimension and small heating power. The measurements and visual observations record substantial deviations from the assumptions underlying the Lorenz model in the domain of problem parameters in which, in accordance with the calculations, bifurcations and instability of steady solutions of the Lorenz model should take place.Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 20–28, July–August, 1995.     

Experimental investigation of turbulent natural convection flow in a channel

This paper presents the results of velocity measurements of natural convection in symmetrically heated vertical channel using the particle image velocimetry (PIV) system. Velocity measurements were conducted at three different sections on the horizontal plane to validate the flow two-dimensionality and at three different heights in the vertical plane to establish vertical mean velocity profiles. The results indicate a considerable influence of the Rayleigh number and aspect ratio on the mean velocity profile. The results also indicate significant diffusion rates of the vertical mean velocity component and normal Reynolds stresses towards the center of the channel.     

Experimental analysis of unsteady free convection heat transfer from horizontal fin arrays

Experimental work has been carried out on horizontal fin arrays using the differential interferometric technique. The local variations of heat flux and temperature in the central fin of a three fin array have been studied in the transient heating and cooling regimes. The average values of heat transfer coefficients in the transient state have been calculated for three spacings of 10 mm, 15 mm and 25 mm and with two materials namely aluminum and mild steel under constant heat input to the system. The results have been compared with experimental findings in the cases of a single fin attached to a base and a vertical isothermal flat plate. Attempt has been made to explain the differences between these cases in relation to the physical mechanism of heat and fluid flow about a fin array.

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Eine experimentelle Untersuchung der Wärmeübertragung bei instationärer freier Konvektion an horizontalen Rippenanordnungen

Zusammenfassung Unter Anwendung der Differential-Interferometrie-Technik wurde eine experimentelle Arbeit auf dem Gebiet horizontaler Anordnungen von Kühlrippen durchgeführt. Die lokale Veränderung von Wärmestrom und Temperatur der mittleren Rippe einer Dreieranordnung wurde an transienten Heiz- und Kühlbereichen untersucht. Im transienten Zustand wurden die Durchschnittswerte der Wärmeübertragungskoeffizienten bei konstanter Wärmezuführ in das System für Aluminium und Flußstahl bei Zwischenräumen von 10 mm, 15 mm und 20 mm berechnet. Die Berechnungen wurden mit experimentellen Ergebnissen einer einzigen, auf einer Basis befestigten Rippe und einer vertikalen isothermen flachen Platte verglichen. Es wurde der Versuch gemacht, den Unterschied zwischen diesen Fällen, in bezug auf den physikalischen Mechanismus der Wärmeübertragung und Strömung über eine Rippenanordnung, zu erklären.

     

Natural convection heat transfer from a horizontal ice cylinder

Heat transfer characteristics passing through the maximum density point around a horizontal ice cylinder immersed in water was studied both theoretically and experimentally. For the sake of a precise comparison, the stagnation point Nusselt number was measured and results then compared with those of the numerical computations that were obtained by solving the full Navier-Stokes equations. A fairly good agreement was seen between the theory and the experiment.At about 6°C of water temperature where the stagnation Nusselt number takes its minimum value, the instability of the flow was observed. It was found that two different computer solutions exist, which shows unstable aspects corresponding to the experimental result.     

Numerical investigation of mixed convection heat transfer past an in-line bundle of cylinders

Two dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes and the energy equations are solved using finite element method for the case of flow past five row deep in-line bundle of circular cylinders with pitch to diameter ratios (PDR) of 1.5 and 2.0. Numerical solutions of governing equations have been obtained using Euler's explicit algorithm. Analysis have been made for Reynolds number of 100 and Prandtl number of 0.71. The effect of Richardson number (Ri=Gr/Re ²) on the flow and heat transfer have been investigated forRi=?1.0, ?0.5, 0.0, +0.5 and +1.0. Streamlines, isovorticity lines, pressure and temperature contours, local and average Nusselt numbers, pressure and shear stress distribution around the cylinders are presented. Results obtained for forced convection (Ri=0.0) agree well with the available experimental and numerical results. There is considerable effect of buoyancy over tube bundles both in buoyancy aiding and opposing flows.     

Laminar free convection heat transfer from a horizontal ring

The analytical solution of laminar free convective heat transfer in an unlimited space from an isothermal horizontal ring with an adiabatic plug is presented. The results of theoretical considerations are presented as relation of the Nusselt and Rayleigh numbers: $$Nu_D = 1.151 \cdot (Ra_D )^{1/5} \cdot \Phi (\phi _0 )$$ \] where Φ(φ₀) is a function of shape coefficient of the ring (φ₀=d/D). The solution presented has been verified experimentally with rings of constant external diameter (D=0.06 [m]) and various internal diameters (d=0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.05 [m]). The fluid tested was glycerin. The theoretical predictions agree well with the experimental results.