Correlations for Natural Convection Between Heated Vertical Plates

1991 ◽  
Vol 113 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Ramanathan ◽  
R. Kumar

This paper presents the numerical results of natural convective flows between two vertical, parallel plates within a large enclosure. A parametric study has been conducted for various Prandtl numbers and channel aspect ratios. The results are in good agreement with the reported results in the literature for air for large aspect ratios. However, for small aspect ratios, the present numerical results do not agree with the correlations given in the literature. The discrepancy is due to the fact that the published results were obtained for channels where the diffusion of thermal energy in the vertical direction is negligible. The results obtained in this paper indicate that vertical conduction should be considered for channel aspect ratios less than 10 for Pr = 0.7. Correlations are presented to predict the maximum temperature and the average Nusselt number on the plate as explicit functions of the channel Rayleigh number and the channel aspect ratio for air. The plate temperature is a weak function of Prandtl number for Prandtl numbers greater than 0.7, if the channel Rayleigh number is chosen as the correlating parameter. For Prandtl numbers less than 0.1, the plate temperature is a function of the channel Rayleigh number and the Prandtl number. A correlation for maximum temperature on the plate is presented to include the Prandtl number effect for large aspect ratio channels.

1993 ◽  
Vol 248 ◽  
pp. 583-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. F. Goldstein ◽  
E. Knobloch ◽  
I. Mercader ◽  
M. Net

The onset of convection in a uniformly rotating vertical cylinder of height h and radius d heated from below is studied. For non-zero azimuthal wavenumber the instability is a Hopf bifurcation regardless of the Prandtl number of the fluid, and leads to precessing spiral patterns. The patterns typically precess counter to the rotation direction. Two types of modes are distinguished: the fast modes with relatively high precession velocity whose amplitude peaks near the sidewall, and the slow modes whose amplitude peaks near the centre. For aspect ratios τ ≡ d/h of order one or less the fast modes always set in first as the Rayleigh number increases; for larger aspect ratios the slow modes are preferred provided that the rotation rate is sufficiently slow. The precession velocity of the slow modes vanishes as τ → ∞. Thus it is these modes which provide the connection between the results for a finite-aspect-ratio System and the unbounded layer in which the instability is a steady-state one, except in low Prandtl number fluids.The linear stability problem is solved for several different sets of boundary conditions, and the results compared with recent experiments. Results are presented for Prandtl numbers σ in the range 6.7 ≤ σ ≤ 7.0 as a function of both the rotation rate and the aspect ratio. The results for rigid walls, thermally conducting top and bottom and an insulating sidewall agree well with the measured critical Rayleigh numbers and precession frequencies for water in a τ = 1 cylinder. A conducting sidewall raises the critical Rayleigh number, while free-slip boundary conditions lower it. The difference between the critical Rayleigh numbers with no-slip and free-slip boundaries becomes small for dimensionless rotation rates Ωh2/v ≥ 200, where v is the kinematic viscosity.


2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Bachiri ◽  
A. Bouabdallah

In this work, we attempt to establish a general analytical approximation of the convection heat transfer from an isothermal wedge surface to fluids for all Prandtl numbers. The flow has been assumed to be laminar and steady state. The governing equations have been written in dimensionless form using a similarity method. A simple ad hoc technique is used to solve analytically the governing equations by proposing a general formula of the velocity profile. This formula verifies the boundary conditions and the equilibrium of the governing equations in the whole spatial region and permits us to obtain analytically the temperature profiles for all Prandtl numbers and for various configurations of the wedge surface. A comparison with the numerical results is given for all spatial regions and in wide Prandtl number values. A new Nusselt number expression is obtained for various configurations of the wedge surface and compared with the numerical results in wide Prandtl number values.


Volume 1 ◽  
2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandar V. Joshi ◽  
U. N. Gaitonde ◽  
Sushanta K. Mitra

A semi-analytical method for natural convection in a two dimensional rectangular enclosure, with uniform volumetric heat generation, having insulated horizontal boundaries, and isothermal vertical boundaries, has been studied here. In this method, the governing equations for natural convection, have been solved under the assumption that for a cavity with small aspect ratio, the flow in the central region of the cavity is only in the vertical direction. It is found that for the cavities with small aspect ratio, the temperature in central region of the cavity is nearly constant along the horizontal direction. However, there is a uniform temperature gradient in the vertical direction, which can be related to the maximum temperature in conduction. The velocity profiles and temperature profiles obtained in the present work, are compared with the numerical simulations by Fluent and a fair agreement is found between these results.


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.


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.


1996 ◽  
Vol 326 ◽  
pp. 399-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Wanschura ◽  
H. C. Kuhlmann ◽  
H. J. Rath

The stability of steady axisymmetric convection in cylinders heated from below and insulated laterally is investigated numerically using a mixed finite-difference/Chebyshev collocation method to solve the base flow and the linear stability equations. Linear stability boundaries are given for radius to height ratios γ from 0.9 to 1.56 and for Prandtl numbers Pr = 0.02 and Pr = 1. Depending on γ and Pr, the azimuthal wavenumber of the critical mode may be m = 1, 2, 3, or 4. The dependence of the critical Rayleigh number on the aspect ratio and the instability mechanisms are explained by analysing the energy transfer to the critical modes for selected cases. In addition to these results the onset of buoyant convection in liquid bridges with stress-free conditions on the cylindrical surface is considered. For insulating thermal boundary conditions, the onset of convection is never axisymmetric and the critical azimuthal wavenumber increases monotonically with γ. The critical Rayleigh number is less then 1708 for most aspect ratios.


2000 ◽  
Vol 123 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shunichi Wakitani

Numerical investigations are presented for three-dimensional natural convection at low Prandtl numbers (Pr) from 0 to 0.027 in rectangular enclosures with differentially heated vertical walls. Computations are carried out for the enclosures with aspect ratios (length/height) 2 and 4, and width ratios (width/height) ranging from 0.5 to 4.2. Dependence of the onset of oscillation on the Prandtl number, the aspect ratio, and the width ratio is investigated. Furthermore, oscillatory, three-dimensional flow structure is clarified. The structure is characterized by some longitudinal vortices (rolls) as well as cellular pattern.


1989 ◽  
Vol 111 (4) ◽  
pp. 916-925 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Prasad ◽  
A. Chui

A numerical study is performed on natural convection inside a cylindrical enclosure filled with a volumetrically heated, saturated porous medium for the case when the vertical wall is isothermal and the horizontal walls are either adiabatic or isothermally cooled. When the horizontal walls are insulated, the flow in the cavity is unicellular and the temperature field in upper layers is highly stratified. However, if the top wall is cooled, there may exist a multicellular flow and an unstable thermal stratification in the upper region of the cylinder. Under the influence of weak convection, the maximum temperature in the cavity can be considerably higher than that predicted for pure conduction. The local heat flux on the bounding walls is generally a strong function of the Rayleigh number, the aspect ratio, and the wall boundary conditions. The heat removal on the cold upper surface decreases with the aspect ratio, thereby increasing the Nusselt number on the vertical wall. The effect of Rayleigh number is, however, not straightforward. Several correlations are presented for the maximum cavity temperature and the overall Nusselt number.


1981 ◽  
Vol 103 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. S. Shiralkar ◽  
C. L. Tien

Heat transfer by natural convection in a horizontal cavity with adiabatic horizontal walls and isothermal side walls is investigated numerically for high aspect ratios (width/height). Comparison is made with existing analytical and experimental results. Agreement is generally good at moderate and high Prandtl numbers to which most previous works have been restricted. Improvements of the existing correlation have been proposed in regions of discrepancy. Extension to the low Prandtl number case, including the range of liquid metals, has been made on the basis of an analytical model for high Rayleigh numbers as well as by numerical solution of the full equations. The agreement between the two is found to be very good. A correlation for the heat transfer is proposed for each of the two different cases of high and low Prandtl number.


1987 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 697-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Prasad

Two-dimensional, steady natural convection in a rectangular cavity filled with a heat-generating, saturated porous medium has been studied numerically for the case when the vertical walls of the cavity are isothermal and the horizontal walls are either adiabatic or cold. Results are presented in terms of the streamlines and isotherms, the maximum temperature in the cavity, and the local and overall Nusselt numbers. The buoyant flow together with the uniform heat generation produces a highly stratified medium at high Rayleigh numbers. Although the maximum temperature in the cavity θmax invariably increases with the Rayleigh number Ra and aspect ratio A, the rate of increase diminishes with this enhancement in Ra and A. However, the change in the horizontal wall boundary condition from adiabatic to cold reduces θmax. The local heat flux on the bounding walls is a strong function of the Rayleigh number, the aspect ratio, and the wall boundary conditions. The variation in overall Nusselt number is qualitatively similar to that observed in the case of a differentially heated cavity, and the present heat transfer rates are close to that for the cavity heated by applying a uniform heat flux. Several correlations are presented for maximum temperature and overall Nusselt number.


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