Direct numerical simulations of two-dimensional chaotic natural convection in a differentially heated cavity of aspect ratio 4

1995 ◽  
Vol 304 ◽  
pp. 87-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shihe Xin ◽  
Patrick Le Quéré

Chaotic natural convection in a differentially heated air-filled cavity of aspect ratio 4 with adiabatic horizontal walls is investigated by direct numerical integration of the unsteady two-dimensional equations. Time integration is performed with a spectral algorithm using Chebyshev spatial approximations and a second-order finite-difference time-stepping scheme. Asymptotic solutions have been obtained for three values of the Rayleigh number based on cavity height up to 1010. The time-averaged flow fields show that the flow structure increasingly departs from the well-known laminar one. Large recirculating zones located on the outer edge of the boundary layers form and move upstream with increasing Rayleigh number. The time-dependent solution is made up of travelling waves which run downstream in the boundary layers. The amplitude of these waves grows as they travel downstream and hook-like temperature patterns form at the outer edge of the thermal boundary layer. At the largest Rayleigh number investigated they grow to such a point that they result in the formation of large unsteady eddies that totally disrupt the boundary layers. These eddies throw hot and cold fluid into the upper and lower parts of the core region, resulting in thermally more homogeneous top and bottom regions that squeeze a region of increased stratification near the mid-cavity height. It is also shown that these large unsteady eddies keep the internal waves in the stratified core region excited. These simulations also give access to the second-order statistics such as turbulent kinetic energy, thermal and viscous dissipation, Reynolds stresses and turbulent heat fluxes.

2007 ◽  
Vol 586 ◽  
pp. 259-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. X. TRIAS ◽  
M. SORIA ◽  
A. OLIVA ◽  
C. D. PÉREZ-SEGARRA

A set of complete two- and three-dimensional direct numerical simulations (DNS) in a differentially heated air-filled cavity of aspect ratio 4 with adiabatic horizontal walls is presented in this paper. Although the physical phenomenon is three-dimensional, owing to its prohibitive computational costs the majority of the previous DNS of turbulent and transition natural convection flows in enclosed cavities assumed a two-dimensional behaviour. The configurations selected here (Rayleigh number based on the cavity height 6.4 × 108, 2 × 109 and 1010, Pr = 0.71) are an extension to three dimensions of previous two-dimensional problems.An overview of the numerical algorithm and the methodology used to verify the code and the simulations is presented. The main features of the flow, including the time-averaged flow structure, the power spectra and probability density distributions of a set of selected monitoring points, the turbulent statistics, the global kinetic energy balances and the internal waves motion phenomenon are described and discussed.As expected, significant differences are observed between two- and three-dimensional results. For two-dimensional simulations the oscillations at the downstream part of the vertical boundary layer are clearly stronger, ejecting large eddies to the cavity core. In the three-dimensional simulations these large eddies do not persist and their energy is rapidly passed down to smaller scales of motion. It yields on a reduction of the large-scale mixing effect at the hot upper and cold lower regions and consequently the cavity core still remains almost motionless even for the highest Rayleigh number. The boundary layers remain laminar in their upstream parts up to the point where these eddies are ejected. The point where this phenomenon occurs clearly moves upstream for the three-dimensional simulations. It is also shown that, even for the three-dimensional simulations, these eddies are large enough to permanently excite an internal wave motion in the stratified core region. All these differences become more marked for the highest Rayleigh number.


Author(s):  
Hamid Teimouri ◽  
Amin Behzadmehr

Purpose This paper aims to numerically study the laminar natural convection in a thermosyphon filled with liquid gallium exposed to a constant magnetic field. The left wall of the thermosyphon is at an uniformed hot temperature, whereas the right wall is at a uniform cold temperature. The top and bottom walls are considered to be adiabatic. All walls are electrically insulated. The effects of Hartmann number, in a wide range of Rayleigh number and aspect ratio combinations, on the natural convection throughout the thermosyphon, are investigated and discussed. Furthermore, different forces that influence the natural flow structure are studied. Design/methodology/approach A Fortran code is developed based on the finite volume method to solve the two-dimensional unsteady governing equations. Findings Imposing a magnetic field improves the stability of the fluid flow and thus reduces the Nusselt number. For a given Hartmann and Rayleigh number, there is an optimum aspect ratio for which the average velocity becomes maximum. Research limitations/implications This paper is a two-dimensional investigation. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the effect of the magnetic field on natural convection of liquid gallium in the considered thermosyphon has not been studied numerically in detail. The results of this paper would be helpful in considering the application of the low Prandtl number’s liquid metals in thermosyphon MHD generators and certain cooling devices.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 229-244
Author(s):  
Mehdi Ahmadi ◽  
Seyed Ali Agha Mirjalily ◽  
Seyed Amir Abbas Oloomi

ABSTRACT: This study is conducted to investigate turbulent natural convection flow in an enclosure with thermal sources using the low-Reynolds number (LRN) k-? model. This enclosure has a cold source with temperature Tc and a hot source with temperature Th as thermal sources, other walls of the enclosure are adiabatic. The aim of this study is to predict the effect of change in Rayleigh number, repositioning of cold and hot sources, and thermal sources aspect ratio on the flow field, temperature, and rate of heat transfer. To achieve this aim, the equations of continuity, momentum, energy, turbulent kinetic energy, and kinetic energy dissipation are employed in the case of 2D turbulence with constant thermo-physical properties except the density in the buoyancy term (Boussinesq approximation). To numerically solve these equations, the finite volume method and SIMPLE algorithm are used. According to the modeling results, the most optimal temperature distribution in the enclosure is seen when the hot source is below the cold source. With decreasing distance between hot and cold sources, heat transfer rate increases. The maximal heat transfer rate is derived via study of the heating sources aspect ratio. In constant positions of cold and hot sources on a wall, the heat transfer rate increases with increasing Rayleigh number (Ra=109-1011). ABSTAK: Kajian ini dijalankan bagi mengkaji perubahan semula jadi aliran perolakan dalam tempat tertutup dengan sumber haba menggunakan model k-? nombor Reynolds-rendah (LRN). Bekas tertutup ini mempunyai dua sumber haba iaitu sumber sejuk dengan suhu Tc dan sumber panas dengan suhu Th, manakala dinding lain bekas ini adalah adiabatik. Tujuan kajian ini adalah bagi mengesan perubahan nombor Rayleigh, mengubah sumber sejuk dan panas dan nisbah sumber haba kepada kawasan aliran, suhu dan halaju perubahan haba. Bagi mencapai tujuan tersebut, persamaan sambungan, momentum, tenaga, tenaga kinetik perolakan, dan pengurangan tenaga kinetik telah dilaksanakan dalam kes perolakan 2D dengan sifat fizikal-haba berterusan (malar) kecuali isipadu terma keapungan (anggaran Boussinesq). Bagi menyelesaikan persamaan ini secara berangka, kaedah isipadu terhad dan algorithma MUDAH telah digunakan. Berdasarkan keputusan model, suhu distribusi optimal dalam bekas tertutup dilihat apabila sumber panas adalah kurang daripada sumber sejuk. Dengan pengurangan jarak antara sumber panas dan sejuk, kadar pertukaran haba meningkat. Kadar pertukaran haba maksima telah diperoleh melalui kajian nisbah  aspek sumber pemanasan. Kadar pertukaran haba bertambah dengan bertambahnya nombor Rayleigh  (Ra=109-1011), pada posisi tetap sumber sejuk dan panas pada dinding bekas.


2012 ◽  
Vol 713 ◽  
pp. 216-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Hu ◽  
Daniel Henry ◽  
Xie-Yuan Yin ◽  
Hamda BenHadid

AbstractThree-dimensional Rayleigh–Bénard instabilities in binary fluids with Soret effect are studied by linear biglobal stability analysis. The fluid is confined transversally in a duct and a longitudinal throughflow may exist or not. A negative separation factor $\psi = \ensuremath{-} 0. 01$, giving rise to oscillatory transitions, has been considered. The numerical dispersion relation associated with this stability problem is obtained with a two-dimensional Chebyshev collocation method. Symmetry considerations are used in the analysis of the results, which allow the classification of the perturbation modes as ${S}_{l} $ modes (those which keep the left–right symmetry) or ${R}_{x} $ modes (those which keep the symmetry of rotation of $\lrm{\pi} $ about the longitudinal mid-axis). Without throughflow, four dominant pairs of travelling transverse modes with finite wavenumbers $k$ have been found. Each pair corresponds to two symmetry degenerate left and right travelling modes which have the same critical Rayleigh number ${\mathit{Ra}}_{c} $. With the increase of the duct aspect ratio $A$, the critical Rayleigh numbers for these four pairs of modes decrease and closely approach the critical value ${\mathit{Ra}}_{c} = 1743. 894$ obtained in a two-dimensional situation, one of the mode (a ${S}_{l} $ mode called mode A) always remaining the dominant mode. Oscillatory longitudinal instabilities ($k\approx 0$) corresponding to either ${S}_{l} $ or ${R}_{x} $ modes have also been found. Their critical curves, globally decreasing, present oscillatory variations when the duct aspect ratio $A$ is increased, associated with an increasing number of longitudinal rolls. When a throughflow is applied, the symmetry degeneracy of the pairs of travelling transverse modes is broken, giving distinct upstream and downstream modes. For small and moderate aspect ratios $A$, the overall critical Rayleigh number in the small Reynolds number range studied is only determined by the upstream transverse mode A. In contrast, for larger aspect ratios as $A= 7$, different modes are successively dominant as the Reynolds number is increased, involving both upstream and downstream transverse modes A and even the longitudinal mode.


Author(s):  
Kamyar Mansour

We consider the two-dimensional problem of steady natural convection in a narrow (Micro size) Horizontal Cylindrical annulus filled with viscous fluid and periodic volumetric heat flux. The solution is expanded in powers of a single combined similarity parameter, which is the product of the Gap ratio to the power of four, and Rayleigh number and the series extended by means of symbolic calculation up to 16 terms. Analysis of these expansions allows the exact computation for arbitrarily accuracy up to 50000 figures. Although the range of the radius of convergence is almost zero but Pade approximation lead our result to be good even for much higher value of the similarity parameter.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 3659-3684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasul Mohebbi ◽  
Mohsen Izadi ◽  
Nor Azwadi Che Sidik ◽  
Gholamhassan Najafi

Purpose This paper aims to study the natural convection of a nanofluid inside a cavity which contains obstacles using lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The results have focused mainly on various parameters such as number and aspect ratio of roughness elements and different nanoparticle volume fraction. The isotherms and streamlines are presented to describe the hydrodynamics and thermal behaviors of the nanofluid flow throughout the enclosure. Design/methodology/approach The methodology of this paper consists of mathematical model, statement of the problem, nanofluid thermophysical properties, lattice Boltzmann method, LBM for fluid flow, LBM for heat transfer, numerical strategy, boundary conditions, Nusselt (Nu) number calculation, code validation and grid independence. Findings Natural convection heat transfers of a nanofluid inside cavities with and without rough elements have been studied. Lattice Boltzmann technique has been used as numerical approach. The results showed that at higher Rayleigh number (Ra = 106), there are denser streamlines near the left (source) and right wall (sink) which results in better cooling and enhances convective heat rejection to the heat sink. After a distinctive aspect ratio of rough elements (A = 0.1), change in streamline pattern which arises from increasing of aspect ratio does not have an important effect on isotherms. Results indicate that for lower Rayleigh number (Ra = 103), no variation in average Nu is observed with increasing in number of roughness, while for higher one (Ra = 106) average Nu decreases from N = 0 (smooth cavity) up to N = 4 and then remains constant (N = 6). Originality/value Currently, no argumentative and comprehensive extraction can be concluded without fully understanding the role of different arrangement of roughness. Some geometrical parameters such as aspect ratio, number and position of rough elements have been considered. Also, the effect of nanoparticle concentration was studied at different Ra number. Briefly, using LBM, this paper aims to investigate the natural convection of a nanofluid flow on the thermal and hydrodynamics parameters in the presence of rough element with various arrangements.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1621-1632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Salari ◽  
Ali Mohammadtabar ◽  
Mohammad Mohammadtabar

In this paper, entropy generation induced by natural convection of cu-water nanofluid in rectangular cavities with different circular corners and different aspect-ratios were numerically investigated. The governing equations were solved using a finite volume approach and the SIMPLE algorithm was used to couple the pressure and velocity fields. The results showed that the total entropy generation increased with the increase of Rayleigh number, irreversibility coefficient, aspect ratio or solid volume fraction while it decreased with the increase of the corner radius. It should be noted that the best way for minimizing entropy generation is decreasing Rayleigh number. This is the first priority for minimizing entropy generation. The other parameters such as radius, volume fraction, etc are placed on the second priority. However, Bejan number had an inverse trend compared with total entropy generation. As an exception, Bejan number and total entropy number had the same trend whenever solid volume fraction increased. Moreover, Nusselt number increased as Rayleigh number, solid volume fraction or aspect ratio increased whereas it decreases with the increase of corner radius.


Author(s):  
Kamyar Mansour

We consider the two-dimensional problem of steady natural convection in a circular cavity with periodic heat generation filled with viscous fluid subject to cosine temperature variation on the boundary. The solution is expanded for low Rayleigh number and extended to 16 terms by computer. Analysis of these expansions allows the exact computation for arbitrarily accuracy up to 50000 figures. Although the range of the radius of convergence is small but pade approximation leads our result to be good even for higher value of the similarity parameter.


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