Numerical Simulation of Natural Convection in a Mold
Numerical study of natural convection heat transfer inside a differentially heated square enclosure with adiabatic horizontal walls and vertical isothermal walls is investigated. Two insulated ribs are symmetrically located on horizontal walls. The governing non-linear equations are solved in a two-dimensional domain using a control volume method and the SIMPLER algorithm for the velocity–pressure coupling is employed. The results will be presented in forms of streamlines, isotherms and Nusselt number for Rayleigh number 106. It is shown that for small rib height the isotherms indicate the laminar boundary regime with high temperature gradient near the bottom of the hot surface and the top of cold one. However, as rib height increases this boundary layer is vanished. Also it is found that as the length and height of the ribs increase the mean Nusselt number decreases.