A Study of Mixed Convection in an Enclosure with Different Inlet and Outlet Configurations

Abstract

A constant flux heat source was heated vertical wall with the fluid considered being air. The other side walls including the top and bottom of the enclosure were assumed to be adiabatic. The inlet opening, located on the left vertical wall, was placed at varying locations. The outlet opening was placed on the opposite heated wall at a fixed location. The basis of the investigation was the two–dimensional numerical solutions of governing equations by using Finite Difference Method (FDM).Significant parameters considered were Richardson number (Ri) and Reynolds number (Re). Results are presented for Richardson number 0 to 10 at Pr=0.71 and Re=50,100,200.The effects of Richardson number and position of the inlet on dimensional temperature inside the enclosure was investigated. The resulting interaction between forced external air stream and buoyancy-driven flow by the heat source are presented in the form of velocity profile and temperature distribution within the enclosure by patterns of graphs. The computational results indicate that heat transfer is strongly affected by Reynolds and Richardson numbers. As the value of Ri increases, there occurs a transition from forced convection to buoyancy dominated flow at Ri>1. A detailed analysis of flow pattern shows that natural or forced convection is based on the parameter Ri.