Numerical heat transfer in a cavity with a solar control coating deposited to a vertical semitransparent wall

A transient two‐dimensional computational model of combined natural convection, conduction, and radiation in a cavity with an aspect ratio of one, containing air as a laminar and non‐participating fluid, is presented. The cavity has two opaque adiabatic horizontal walls, one opaque isothermal vertical wall, and an opposite semitransparent wall, which consists of a 6‐mm glass sheet with a solar control coating of SnS–Cu_xS facing the cavity. The semitransparent wall also exchanges heat by convection and radiation from its external surface to the surroundings and allows solar radiation pass through into the interior of the cavity. The momentum and energy equations in the transient state were solved by finite differences using the alternating direction implicit (ADI) technique. The transient conduction equation and the radiative energy flux boundary conditions are coupled to these equations. The results in this paper are limited to the following conditions: 10⁴≤Gr≤10⁶, an isothermal vertical cold wall of 21°C, outside air temperatures in the range 30°C≤T₀≤40°C and incident solar radiation of AM2 (750 W m⁻²) normal to the semitransparent wall. The model allows calculation of the redistribution of the absorbed component of solar radiation to the inside and outside of the cavity. The influences of the time step and mesh size were considered. Using arguments of energy balance in the cavity, it was found that the percentage difference was less than 4 per cent, showing a possible total numerical error less than this number. For Gr=10⁶ a wave appeared in the upper side of the cavity, suggesting the influence of the boundary walls over the air flow inside the cavity. A Nusselt number correlation as a function of the Rayleigh number is presented. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of low-intensity convection regimes in a rectangular cavity with a heat flux on the boundary

The characteristics of heat transfer during natural thermogravitational fluid convection of low intensity in a rectangular cavity heated from below (cooled from above) are investigated. Local convection effects are studied. The dependence of local superheating (supercooling) on the Grashof number and the cavity side ratio is found for single-, two-and three-vortex steady motions. The limits of the convection regimes are estimated.     

Transient natural convection in a rectangular enclosure with one heated side wall

This paper describes a numerical and theoretical study of the transient natural convection heating of a two-dimensional rectangular enclosure filled with fluid. The heating is applied suddenly along one of the side walls, while the remaining three walls are maintained insulated. It is shown that the process has two distinct phases, an early period dominated by conduction and a late period dominated by convection. The scaling laws for the heat transfer rate and the effectiveness (energy storage fraction) are determined based on scale analysis. These theoretical results are confirmed by numerical experiments conducted in the domain Ra = 10³−10⁶, Pr = 7, A = 1, where Ra is the Rayleigh number based on height and initial temperature difference, Pr is the Prandtl number, and A is the height/length ratio of the enclosure. Correlations for heat transfer rate and effectiveness are constructed by comparing the theoretical scaling laws with the numerical results.     

A note on mixed convection of laminar plane water plumes at temperatures around the density extremum

In all studies concerning mixed convection in plane laminar plumes a linear relationship between fluid density and temperature has been used. However, it is known that the water density-temperature relationship is non-linear at low temperatures with a density maximum at 3.98°C for pure water. In this note the problem of plane laminar water plume in a coflowing vertical free stream has been investigated taking into account the non-linearity between density and temperature. This is the first work in the literature which treats plane mixed convection plumes with nonlinear relation between density and temperature. Both rising and descending plumes have been investigated. It was found that the ambient water temperature plays an important role on the results. When the ambient temperature is greater than maximum density temperature (T _a > T _m), the water plume behavior is similar to that of the classical plume with linear density-temperature relationship. However, when the ambient temperature is equal or lower than the maximum density temperature the water plume behavior is completely different from the classical plume with linear density-temperature relationship. The centerline velocity shows a series of maxima and minima which are produced by the combination of the nonlinear density-temperature relation and the free stream.     

Experimental observations of the thermal flow around a square obstruction on a vertical wall in a differentially heated cavity

The transient thermal boundary layer flow around a square obstruction placed at the middle of the hot wall in a differentially heated cavity is visualized using a shadowgraph technique. The results show that the thermal boundary layer flow, which is blocked by the obstruction, firstly forms an intrusion head under the obstruction (the lower intrusion head). Subsequently, the lower intrusion head bypasses the obstruction and reattaches to the down-stream boundary. During the reattachment process, a more complicated flow is induced, and eventually both the lower intrusion head and the thermal boundary layer destabilize. After the lower intrusion head is convected away, the thermal boundary layer flow re-stabilizes. At the quasi-steady state, the thermal boundary layer forms a double-layer structure, which is split into two sections by the obstruction. It is demonstrated that both the transient processes and the quasi-steady state flow structures of the thermal boundary layer are significantly altered by the obstruction in comparison with the case without the obstruction.     

Combined radiation and natural convection in a rectangular cavity with a transparent wall and containing a non-participating fluid

This paper describes a numerical method for the study of combined natural convection and radiation in a rectangular, two-dimensional cavity containing a non-participating (i.e. transparent) fluid. One wall of the cavity is isothermal, being heated either by solar radiation or independently. The opposite wall is partially transparent, permitting radiation exchanges between the cavity and its surroundings and/or the Sun; that wall also exchanges heat by convection from its external surface to the surroundings. The other two walls are adiabatic: convection and radiation there are balanced, so that there is no heat transfer through those walls. The equations of motion and energy are solved by finite difference methods. Coupled to these equations are the radiative flux boundary conditions which are used to determine the temperature distribution along the non-isothermal walls. A two-band radiation model has been employed. Results are presented for a square cavity with a vertical hot wall at 150 °C, the ambient at 20 °C and 10⁴ ? Ra ? 3 × 10⁵, in the absence of direct insolation. The effects on the flow and heat transfer in the cavity of radiation and external convection have been examined. More extensive results will be presented in subsequent papers.     

Combined forced and free flow in a vertical rectangular duct with prescribed wall heat flux

In this paper, combined forced and free convection is studied in a vertical rectangular duct with a prescribed uniform wall heat flux (H2 boundary condition). A different heat flux value for each plane wall is considered; the condition of a uniform wall heat flux throughout the duct results as a special case. The local momentum and energy balance equations are written in a dimensionless form and solved numerically, by means of a Galerkin finite element method. The numerical solution gives the dimensionless velocity and temperature distributions, together with the values of the Fanning friction factor, of the Nusselt number, of the momentum flux correction factor and of the kinetic energy correction factor. These dimensionless parameters are reported as functions of the aspect ratio and of the ratio between the Grashof number, Gr, and the Reynolds number, Re. The threshold values of Gr/Re for the onset of flow reversal are evaluated.     

Laminar free-convective heat transfer from a vertical isothermal plate to water at low temperatures with variable physical properties

All studies concerning laminar free convection along a vertical isothermal plate in water at low temperatures have been conducted assuming constant dynamic viscosity and thermal conductivity both taken at ambient or film temperature. In this study the problem has been treated taking into account the temperature dependence of all water physical properties. The results are obtained with the numerical solution of the boundary layer equations. The variation of μ and k with temperature has a small influence on wall heat transfer but a strong influence on wall shear stress. These quantities show a significant reduction at density extremum.     

Melting process with solid-liquid density change and natural convection in a rectangular cavity

This paper presents a numerical method that simulates the melting process in the presence of solid-liquid density change and natural convection in the melt. The physical model concerned is two-dimensional melting of a phase-change material, initially at its fusion temperature, charged in a rectangular cavity with isothermally heated side walls and an adiabatic bottom wall. The presence of the density change brings no change into the basic form of governing equation, so it is considered through the reformulation of boundary conditions. Difficulties associated with the complex time-dependent melt region, whose shape is also a part of the solutions, are overcome by employing the boundary-fitted coordinate system. Comparison with other works validates the present numerical model and reveals the effects of density change qualitatively. Also, it is confirmed that the present method is preferable to others with natural convection only. Computed results for interesting cases are shown in forms of transient position of the interface, temperature distribution, flow pattern, heat transfer coefficient, and melting fraction as a function of time. Closer examination on melting patterns allows a correlation to be made between the melting fraction and a new independent variable Ste·Fo·Ra^1/4.     

Effects of anisotropy on the free convection from a vertical plate embedded in a porous medium

The effects of anisotropy on the steady laminar boundary-layer free convection over a vertical impermeable surface are analysed by using the method of integral relations. If the permeability in the direction orthogonal to the plate is greater than the permeability along the plate, then there is an increase in the temperature field.     

Buoyancy-driven convection of water near its density maximum with time periodic partially active vertical walls

The effect of density inversion on transient natural convection heat transfer of cold water in a square cavity with partially active vertical walls is studied numerically. The governing equations are solved by control volume method with power law scheme. In the hot location the temperature is varied sinusoidally and in the cold location uniform temperature is maintained. Nine different positions of the active zones are considered. Results are discussed for various values of the amplitude, period and different Grashof numbers and presented graphically in the form of isotherms, streamlines, mid-height velocity profile and average Nusselt number. It is found that density inversion of water affects natural convection flow and heat transfer. Heat transfer rate is enhanced upto 80% when the heating location is in the middle of the hot wall.     

Combined forced and free convective flow of water at 4°C past a semi-infinite vertical plate

Effects of buoyancy forces on forced and free convective flow of water at 4°C past a semi-infinite vertical plate at constant temperature are studied. Flow is assumed to be vertically upwards. Similarity solutions are derived and the resulting equations are solved numerically on a computer. Velocity and temperature profiles are shown graphically and numerical values of the skin friction and the rate of heat transfer are entered in tables. It is observed that the skin friction and the Nusselt number increase with increasing Gr/Re², where Gr is the Grashof number and Re is the Reynolds number     

Effects of the anomalous temperature dependence of water density on surface gravity current

This paper reports experimental results on the propagation of a plane water jet at a temperature above the maximum-density temperature (4° C) along the free surface of initially quiescent water at a temperature of about 0°C. For comparison, experiments were performed in which the temperatures of the lower and higher layers were more than 4°C, other conditions being equal. The experiments revealed a number of new hydrodynamic effects, including peculiar flow instability and a fine structure of the density field at large times.Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 46, No. 1, pp. 63–69, January–February, 2005     

Effect of vertical heat transfer on thermocapillary convection in an open shallow rectangular cavity

In order to understand the effect of the vertical heat transfer on thermocapillary convection characteristics in a differentially heated open shallow rectangular cavity, a series of two- and three-dimensional numerical simulations were carried out by means of the finite volume method. The cavity was filled with the 1cSt silicone oil (Prandtl number Pr = 13.9) and the aspect ratio ranged from 12 to 30. Results show that thermocapillary convection is stable at a small Marangoni number. With the increase of the heat flux on the bottom surface, thermocapillary convection transits to the asymmetrical bi-cellular pattern with the opposite rotation direction. The roll near the hot wall shrinks as the Marangoni number increases. At a large Marangoni number, numerical simulations predict two types of the oscillatory thermocapillary flow. One is the hydrothermal wave, which is dominant only in a thin cavity. The other appears in a deeper cavity and is characterized by oscillating multi-cellular flow. The critical Marangoni number for the onset of the oscillatory flow increases first and then decreases with the increase of the vertical heat flux. The three-dimensional numerical simulation can predict the propagating direction of the hydrothermal wave. The velocity and temperature fields obtained by three-dimensional simulation in the meridian plane are very close to those obtained by two-dimensional simulation.     

封闭水平矩形腔内流体自然对流第一次逆叉形分岔的数值研究

本文采用二阶全展开ETG(Euler-Taylor-Galerkin)分裂步有限元方法,对长宽比为3.5(L/B=3.5,如图 1所示)的封闭矩形腔体内,三种Pr数条件下,定常层流范围内,流体自然对流叉形分岔随Rayleigh数的演化过程进行了数值模拟。研究结果表明,该矩形腔内对应三种Pr数条件下,流体的叉形分岔的演化过程中,在第二次模态Ⅱ型叉形分岔之后,均会出现两个较小尺度涡旋合并,突变为一个较大尺度涡旋的全新叉形分岔模态。即在某临界Ra数两侧,存在定常四涡结构和定常三涡结构两个定常解支,当系统控制参数Ra越过临界值,前者被后者突发性取代,这是完全不同于传统叉形分岔的逆叉形分岔。其数值预报,则采用分半法结合流动拓扑结构及典型截面处速度扩线上鞍点的变化来确定。计算结果表明,在计算的Pr数条件下,随Pr数的增加逆叉形分岔对应临界Ra数的取值也会提高。     

封闭方腔内空气和水自然对流每一次分岔数值预报

采用二阶全展开ETG分裂步有限元方法,通过对流动拓扑的详细分析,在排除网格密度影响的基础上,结合二分法给出封闭方腔内空气和水两种典型流体自然对流发生第一次分岔时的临界Rayleigh数。计算结果表明,该方法可用于进行不同Prandtl数条件下方腔内自然对流流动第一次分岔的数值预报,可作为后续各阶分岔及转捩数值预报研究的基础。在相应的条件下,封闭方腔内空气比水更容易发生分岔,且空气的流动结构相对于水表现出一定的倾斜性。     

Transient natural convection in a cavity with heat input and a constant temperature wall on opposite sides

The transient natural convection of a fluid with Prandtl number of order 200 in a two-dimensional square cavity has been numerically studied. One of the vertical walls of the cavity is kept at a constant (ambient) temperature and a constant heat flux is applied on the opposite wall. The other walls are adiabatic. Initially, a boundary layer is formed near the heated wall; subsequently, a large vortical structure is generated, together with an upper intrusion layer. As time progresses, the average temperature in the cavity increases, and a descending boundary layer is formed near the constant temperature wall. During the transition to the steady-state regime, a thermal stratification pattern is formed. The results are compared with the scale analysis presented by Patterson and Imberger (1980).     

Experiments on the cooling by natural convection of an array of vertical heated plates with constant heat flux

This paper presents experimental results that aim to document the phenomenon of cooling by natural convection of an array of vertical plates with uniform and equal heat fluxes. The working fluid is air. The effect of several factors on the plate temperature distribution was determined. These factors are the spacing of the plates, the existence of a floorlike flow obstruction near the entrance of the vertical channel, and the existence of a ceilinglike flow obstruction near the exit of the vertical channel. In several cases, these factors had a paramount effect on the plate temperature distribution. Examined also was the impact on the effectiveness of the natural convection cooling of a second row of plates positioned under the row of plates under investigation in an aligned or a staggered fashion.     

Double diffusive convection of anomalous density fluids in a porous cavity

A numerical study has been performed to analyze the combined effect of temperature and species gradients on the buoyancy-driven natural convection flow of cold water near its density extremum contained in a porous cavity. The governing equations are descretized using the finite volume method. The results of the investigation are presented in the form of steady-state streamlines, velocity vectors, isotherms, and isoconcentrationlines. The results are discussed for different porosities, Darcy numbers, and Grashof numbers. The heat and mass transfer rates calculated are found to behave nonlinearly with hot wall temperature. The heat and mass transfer are increased with increasing Darcy number and porosity. It is found that the convective heat and mass transfer rate are greatly affected by the presence of density maximum.