A numerical study of the thermal performance of fins with time-dependent boundary conditions,including initial transient effects

A finite-volume numerical model is constructed and applied to evaluate the time-dependent heat-transfer characteristics of longitudinal fins with a rectangular profile. To facilitate comparisons with analytical solutions, the problem is taken to be one-dimensional with constant thermal properties. Two base boundary conditions are considered: (1) a step change and (2) a periodic change in temperature. Parametric studies are carried out to investigate the effects of grid size, time step, fin parameter, Fourier number, amplitude and frequency of base-temperature oscillation on the fin temperature distribution, heat-transfer rate and efficiency. The study shows an excellent agreement between the numerical and analytical results and investigates the importance of the initial transient effects.     

Three-dimensional simulations of natural convection in a sidewall-heated cube

A high-resolution, finite difference numerical study is reported on three-dimensional natural convection of air in a differentially heated cubical enclosure over an extensive range of Rayleigh number from 10³ to 10¹⁰. The maximum number of grid points is 122 × 62 × 62. Solutions to the primitive variable formulation of the incompressible Navier-Stokes and energy equations are acquired by a control-volume-based procedure together with a higher-order upwind-differencing technique. The field characteristics at large-time limits are examined in detail by state-of-the-art numerical visualizations of the three-dimensional results. The emergence of the well-defined boundary layers and the interior core at high Rayleigh numbers is captured by elaborate numerical visualizations. Both the similarities and discrepancies between the three- and two-dimensional computations are pointed out. These emphasize the need for three-dimensional calculations to accurately determine the flow characteristics and heat transfer properties in realistic, high-Rayleigh-number situations.     

Effects of large suction in natural convection boundary layer on a horizontal plate

The natural convection boundary layer on a horizontal plate with suction is investigated. The similar solutions of the boundary layer equations require suction to vary as a power law. The similarity equations have been integrated for various values of suction parameter and Prandtl number =0.72 and 6.8. For non-similar flow situation, a large suction approximation has been developed using the asymptotic approach. It is shown that large suction approximation is surprisingly good even for moderate values of suction parameter.

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Einflüsse großer Wirkung auf die Grenzschicht bei freier Konvektion an einer horizontalen Platte

Zusammenfassung Es wird die Grenzschicht bei freier Konvektion auf einer horizontalen Platte unter Saugwirkung untersucht. Die Ähnlichkeitslösungen der Grenzschichtgleichungen machen es erforderlich, die Saugwirkung in Form eines Exponentialansatzes zu variieren. Die Ähnlichkeitsgleichungen wurden für verschiedene Werte des Saugparameters und für Prandtl-Zahlen zwischen 0,72 und 6,8 integriert. Für nicht-ähnliche Strömungszustände wurde eine Lösung für die Saugwirkung auf der Basis der asymptotischen Näherung entwickelt. Es wird gezeigt, daß die Näherungslösung für große Saugwirkung auch erstaunlich gute Ergebnisse für geringe Werte von Saug-Parametern liefert.

     

A numerical study of three-dimensional laminar natural convection in a vented enclosure

A three-dimensional numerical investigation of steady laminar natural convection in vented enclosures is carried out. A discrete flush-type heat source mounted on the substrate is used to simulate an electronic component. Four different vent locations are investigated. Combined natural convection in the air and conduction in the heat source, the substrate, and the enclosure walls are solved. Solutions are obtained for Rayleigh numbers ranging from 10⁴ to 10⁶, different substrate thermal conductivity ratios, and varied vent sizes. The calculation domain is extended beyond the cubic enclosure in x-, y-, and z-directions. Appropriate boundary conditions are prescribed on the extended computational domain. The resulting flow and temperature patterns are discussed. Also, the local and overall heat transfer from the heat source and the substrate, in terms of Nusselt numbers and the surface temperatures, are presented to illustrate the vent effects.     

Mixed convection boundary layer flow over a horizontal plate with thermal radiation

The effects of thermal radiation and thermal buoyancy on the steady, laminar boundary layer flow over a horizontal plate is investigated. The plate temperature is assumed to be inversely proportional to the square root of the distance from the leading edge. The set of similarity equations is solved numerically, and the solutions are given for some values of the radiation and buoyancy parameters for Prandtl number unity. It is found that dual solutions exist for negative values of the buoyancy parameter, up to certain critical values. Beyond these values, the solution does no longer exist. Moreover, it is found that there is no local heat transfer at the surface except in the singular point at the leading edge. The radiation parameter is found to increase the local Stanton number.     

Thermal boundary layer and the characteristic length on natural convection over a horizontal plate

Thickness of the thermal boundary layer on natural convection from a horizontal plate was experimentally measured and expressed as a function of Rayleigh number both in laminar and turbulent regimes. Several parametric equations expressing the Nusselt number as a function of Rayleigh number were developed combining experimental data by other authors with the ones obtained in this work. The characteristic length was taken as the thickness of the thermal boundary layer in one equation and as the ratio of the area to the perimeter in another one. Both characteristic lengths correlated the data precisely in wide ranges of Rayleigh numbers.

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Analytic study on non-Newtonian natural convection boundary layer flow with variable wall temperature on a horizontal plate

The similarity transform for the steady free convection boundary layer flow of a non-Newtonian fluid (Casson model) with variable wall temperature on a horizontal plate gives a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations which is solved analytically by applying a newly developed method namely the homotopy analysis method (HAM). The velocity and temperature profiles are obtained and the influence of Prandtl number and various physical parameters of the problem on these distributions are discussed in detail and are illustrated graphically through a set of graphs. The validity of our solutions is verified by the numerical results.     

Interaction of thermal radiation with laminar natural convection from a horizontal cylinder in air

The heat transfer rates from a horizontal cylindrical surface of an internally heated tube under constant heat flux conditions are evaluated with the aid of integral analysis giving due consideration to both natural convection and thermal radiation to ambient medium of air. It is observed that non-isothermal conditions around the periphery of the tube arise due to the conjugate effects of the three modes of energy transmission viz., conduction, convection and radiation. The theoretical analysis is further validated with the experimental results and the coincidence is found to be very satisfactory.Die Wärmeübertragungsraten einer horizontalen zylindrischen Oberfläche eines innen erwärmten Rohres mit konstantem Wärmestrom sind mit Hilfe von Integralrechnungen berechnet worden, die sich auf die freie Konvektion und thermische Strahlung mit Luft als Umgebungsmedium beziehen. Es ist beobachtet worden, daß nicht-isotherme Bedingungen am Umfang des Rohres aus den drei Energieübertragungsarten Leitung, Konvektion und Strahlung entstehen. Die theoretische Berechnung wurde mit experimentellen Ergebnissen bestätigt und die Koinzidenz stellte sich als sehr zufriedenstellend heraus.     

Variable porosity and thermal dispersion effects on vortex instability of a horizontal natural convection flow in a saturated porous medium

A numerical analysis is made to analyze the variable porosity and thermal dispersion effects on the vortex mode of instability of a horizontal natural convection boundary layer flow in a saturated porous medium. The porosity of the medium is assumed to vary exponentially with distance from the wall. In the base flow, the governing equations are solved by using a suitable variable transformation and employing an implicit finite difference Keller Box method. The stability analysis is based on the linear stability theory and the resulting eigenvalue problem is solved by the local similarity approximations. The results indicate that both effects increase the heat transfer rate. In addition, the thermal dispersion effect stabilizes the flow to the vortex mode of disturbance, while the variable porosity effect destabilizes it.

     

A numerical study of natural convection from a localized heat source in the lower plenum of a fast breeder reactor under failed conditions

A comprehensive numerical study has been done to investigate two-dimensional, steady state, conjugate natural heat convection in the hemi spherical lower plenum of a fast breeder reactor under failed conditions. The continuity, momentum and energy equations are solved over the entire domain, using the corresponding properties for the solid and fluid regions. The control volume approach is employed in order to discretize the governing equations for their numerical solution. A parametric study has been done to study the variation of the velocity vectors and isotherms for different constant temperature of the heat source, simulating different heat generation rates. The actual problem in a nuclear reactor involves a volumetric heat generation in the debris falling over the heat shield plate under failed conditions of the reactor and heat is removed by a decay heat exchanger serving as a sink. In this study we have reduced this transient problem to a quasi-steady problem with a prescribed temperature on the heat shield plate. This makes the problem more tractable. The fluid flow pattern, variation of the temperature along the axis in and around the heat source are presented to show the overall heat transfer characteristics inside the plenum.     

Higher order effects in natural convection flow over a uniform flux horizontal surface

Higher order boundary layer effects for natural convection flow over a horizontal plate prescribed with uniform heat flux is presented. Using the method of matched asymptotic expansions the three terms in inner and outer expansions have been obtained. It is shown that the contribution of the eigen functions to the three term inner expansions is identically zero.

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Einflüsse höherer Ordnung bei freier Konvektion über einer gleichmäßig beheizten horizontalen Oberfläche

Zusammenfassung Es werden Grenzschichteinflüsse höherer Ordnung auf die freie Konvektionsströmung über einer horizontalen Platte bei gleichmäßigem Wärmestrom dargestellt. Mit Hilfe der Methode der angepaßten asymptotischen Entwicklungen wurden die drei Terme der inneren und äußeren Entwicklung hergeleitet. Es wird gezeigt, daß der Beitrag der Eigenfunktionen zu den drei inneren Entwicklungen identisch Null ist.

     

最大偏心圆环空间自然对流传热的数值分析

采用正切圆坐标变换 ,对不同直径比以及上、下、侧面三种偏心位置 ,偏心率达到最大值± 1的变壁温水平圆柱环形封闭空间内空气的自然对流传热进行了数学模拟 ,求出的二维空间温度分布与实验拍摄相应的温度干涉条纹图片吻合良好。计算结果同时给出流线分布及内、外壁面的局部传热系数、热流量。并与现有的偏心率小于 1的有关资料作对比分析。数值计算的范围是 :2 .0× 1 0 2 ≤ Ra≤ 3 .0× 1 0 5,1 .3≤ Do/Di≤ 3 .8,Pr=0 .70 6,|ε|=1 .     

A numerical study of the longitudinal thermoconvective rolls in a mixed convection flow in a horizontal channel with a free surface

This paper presents a numerical study of three-dimensional laminar mixed convection within a liquid flowing on a horizontal channel heated uniformly from below. The upper surface is free and assumed to be flat. The coupled Navier–Stokes and energy equations are solved numerically by the finite volume method taking into account the thermocapillary effects (Marangoni effect). When the strength of the buoyancy, thermocapillary effects and forced convective currents are comparable (Ri ⋍ O(1) and Bd = Ra/Ma ⋍ O(1)), the results show that the development of instabilities in the form of steady longitudinal convective rolls is similar to those encountered in the Poiseuille–Rayleigh–Bénard flow. The number and spatial distribution of these rolls along the channel depend on the flow conditions. The objective of this work is to study the influence of parameters, such as the Reynolds, Rayleigh and Biot numbers, on the flow patterns and heat transfer characteristics. The effects of variations in the surface tension with temperature gradients (Marangoni effect) are also considered.     

Non-linear approximations for natural convection in a horizontal annulus

Two different problems are proposed as approximations of the usual system modelling natural convection under the Oberbeck-Boussinesq assumptions. The error is evaluated by means of the norm of its gradient in the Hilbert space. The average Nusselt number is also estimated.     

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.     

A numerical study of transient natural convection under time-dependent gravitational acceleration field

A transient natural convection caused by abruptly heating of a vertical wall in a square enclosure which is under time-dependent gravitational acceleration field is studied numerically. During the computing process, a penalty finite element method is adopted to solve the governing equations. The factor of the time-dependent gravitational acceleration is included in Rayleigh number, therefore two variation of Rayleigh number are considered, one is from 10⁵ via 10⁶ to ? 10⁵ and the other is from 10⁴ via 10⁵ to ? 10⁴. Since the variations of flow field and temperature distribution of the fluid in the square enclosure are complicated and unpredictable, the isotherms, streamlines and time dependent heat transfer rate are examined for investigating the heat transfer mechanism during the transient process. The results show that the agreement of the heat transfer rate of this study with that of quasi-steady state is mainly dependent on the response of the variation rate of boundary layer along the vertical walls to that of time-dependent gravitational acceleration.     

Mixed convection flow in a horizontal rectangular channel subjected to a horizontal thermal gradient

This paper deals with a mixed convection water flow in a horizontal rectangular duct, uniformly heated from one lateral vertical wall and thermally insulated elsewhere. The supplied heat flux induces a secondary flow, which structure is constituted of one longitudinal roll in the considered aspect ratio (Γ = 1.9), embedded into a return flow of possibly large stream wise extension (up to twenty channel heights). Such situation induces helicoidal trajectories for the fluid flow particles, which contributes to a heat transfer enhancement compared to purely forced convection flow.