Thermosolutal mixed convection and flow-reversal in an inclined parallel-plate channel

The steady-state laminar mixed convection of a binary gas mixture in a parallel-plate channel is investigated. The channel walls are subjected to different combinations of first-type thermal and solutal boundary conditions and different wall inclinations have been considered. A second-order accurate control-volume based numerical scheme is used for the resolution. In parallel with the numerical investigation, the governing conservation equations are also simplified for fully developed conditions and are shown to be controlled by a single parameter. An exact analytical solution is obtained for the main flow variables and transfer rates and serves as a validation tool for the numerical model. In addition, it establishes a criterion based on the two Grashof numbers, the Reynolds number and the channel inclination for the existence of a reversed flow.