Free convective heat transfer with density inversion in a confined rectangular vessel

Abstract

An experimental and analytical investigation pertaining to the effect of density inversion on steady free convective heat transfer of water in a confined rectangular vessel in which different temperatures are imposed on the opposing vertical walls is carried out. Water, as a testing fluid, has its maximum density at 4‡C. Temperature of the cold wall is maintained at 0‡C, while that of the hot wall is varied from 1‡C to 12‡ C. Photographs and analytical descriptions of the flow patterns, temperature distributions and average Nusselt number are presented. Moreover, the effect of dimensions of a rectangular vessel on the average Nusselt number is investigated. From the present investigation, it can be demonstrated both experimentally and analytically that the density inversion of water have an influential effect on the free convection heat transfer in the prescribed water layer, moreover, the average Nusselt number is a peculiar function of temperature difference between the cold and the hot walls, unlike the previous results for common fluids without density inversion.