Experimental Study of Laminar Natural Convection in Cells With Various Convex and Concave Bottoms

1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. M. Lewandowski ◽  
M. J. Khubeiz

Heat transfer and free convective motion in limited space from the bottoms of different hemispherical convex or concave shapes have been studied experimentally. The ratio of the diameter of the hemisphere (d) to the diameter of the bottom (D) (0 < d/D < 1) has been tested for a range of Rayleigh numbers (105 < Ra <107). In comparison with a flat bottom (d/D = 0), about 40 percent inhibition or about 50 percent intensification depending on the bottom configuration (d/D) have been observed. The mechanism of the phenomenon based on dead space, local overheating, and shape influence effects has been proposed.

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 624-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xundan Shi ◽  
J. M. Khodadadi

A finite-volume-based computational study of steady laminar natural convection (using Boussinesq approximation) within a differentially heated square cavity due to the presence of a single thin fin is presented. Attachment of highly conductive thin fins with lengths equal to 20, 35 and 50 percent of the side, positioned at 7 locations on the hot left wall were examined for Ra=104,105,106, and 107 and Pr=0.707 (total of 84 cases). Placing a fin on the hot left wall generally alters the clockwise rotating vortex that is established due to buoyancy-induced convection. Two competing mechanisms that are responsible for flow and thermal modifications are identified. One is due to the blockage effect of the fin, whereas the other is due to extra heating of the fluid that is accommodated by the fin. The degree of flow modification due to blockage is enhanced by increasing the length of the fin. Under certain conditions, smaller vortices are formed between the fin and the top insulated wall. Viewing the minimum value of the stream function field as a measure of the strength of flow modification, it is shown that for high Rayleigh numbers the flow field is enhanced regardless of the fin’s length and position. This suggests that the extra heating mechanism outweighs the blockage effect for high Rayleigh numbers. By introducing a fin, the heat transfer capacity on the anchoring wall is always degraded, however heat transfer on the cold wall without the fin can be promoted for high Rayleigh numbers and with the fins placed closer to the insulated walls. A correlation among the mean Nu, Ra, fin’s length and its position is proposed.


1986 ◽  
Vol 108 (4) ◽  
pp. 783-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. N. Mahony ◽  
R. Kumar ◽  
E. H. Bishop

A numerical finite difference investigation has been conducted to determine the effects of variable properties on the laminar natural convection of gases between horizontal isothermal concentric cylinders. Velocity profiles, temperature profiles, and heat transfer rates have been computed for diameter ratios of 1.5, 2.28, 2.6, and 5.0 and Rayleigh numbers based on gap width up to 1.8 × 105. The temperature difference ratio θo was varied from 0.2 to 3.0, and the range of validity of the Boussinesq approximation was determined to be θo = 0.2. A volume-weighted mean temperature was shown to be the most effective reference temperature to reduce the heat transfer data for each diameter ratio to a single curve of the form keq = C RaLn, for 0.2 ≤ θo ≤ 3.0 and RaL = 2.0 × 105.


Author(s):  
E F Kent

In this work, a numerical analysis of laminar natural convection in an isosceles triangular enclosure has been performed for two different thermal boundary conditions. In case 1, the base is heated and the two inclined walls are symmetrically cooled, and in case 2, the base is cooled and the two top inclined walls are symmetrically heated. This configuration is encountered in solar engineering applications such as: solar stills that usually have triangular cavities and triangular built-in-storage-type solar water heaters; and heat transfer in attic spaces in both wintertime and summertime conditions. To perform the computational analysis, the finite-volume method is used for the discretization of the governing equations. Base angles varying from 15 to 75° have been used for different Rayleigh numbers ranging from 103 to 105. The effects of the Rayleigh number and aspect ratio on the flow field and heat transfer are analysed. The detailed streamline patterns and temperature distributions are presented. The variation of the mean Nusselt numbers versus Rayleigh numbers for different base angles is given. It is found that the base angle has a drastic influence on the flow field and isotherms for the two cases. For case 1, at small base angles, as the Rayleigh number increases, a multi-cellular flow structure developed inside the enclosure enhances the heat transfer. For case 2, the temperature profiles are always stable and stratified for all Rayleigh numbers and base angles.


1983 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Seki ◽  
S. Fukusako ◽  
A. Yamaguchi

Experimental measurements are presented for free convective heat transfer across a parallelogrammic enclosure with the various tilt angles of parallel upper and lower walls insulated. The experiments covered a range of Rayleigh numbers between 3.4 × 104 and 8.6 × 107, and Prandtl numbers between 0.70 and 480. Those also covered the tilt angles of the parallel insulated walls with respect to the horizontal, φ, of 0, ±25, ±45, ±60, and ±70 deg under an aspect ratio of H/W = 1.44. The fluids used were air, transformer oil, and water. It was found that the heat transfer coefficients for φ = −70 deg were decreased to be about 1/18 times those for φ = 0 deg. Experimental results are given as plots of the Nusselt number versus the Rayleigh number. A correlation equation is given for the Nusselt number, Nu, as a function of φ, Pr, and Ra.


1994 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 627-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Kamotani ◽  
F.-B. Weng ◽  
S. Ostrach ◽  
J. Platt

An experimental study is made of natural convection oscillations in gallium melts enclosed by right circular cylinders with differentially heated end walls. Cases heated from below are examined for angles of inclination (φ) ranging from 0 deg (vertical) to 75 deg with aspect ratios Ar (height/diameter) of 2, 3, and 4. Temperature measurements are made along the circumference of the cylinder to detect the oscillations, from which the oscillatory flow structures are inferred. The critical Rayleigh numbers and oscillation frequencies are determined. For Ar=3 and φ = 0 deg, 30 deg the supercritical flow structures are discussed in detail.


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