Heat and mass transfer with phase change in a rectangular enclosure packed with unsaturated porous material

Abstract

The paper has presented a seven-field mathematical model with ten variables to describe the simultaneous heat and mass transfer with phase change in the unsaturated porous medium that is enclosed in a rectangular enclosure. Both liquid and vapor migration in the porous matrix are evaluated at the same time, and gaseous bulk motion is simulated numerically. The numerical results are discussed with emphasis on the effect of evaporation and condensation of R113 in the vertical enclosure, which may have an application in the room passive heating for the buildings in winter. As solar energy or low-grade waste heat could be used if the enclosure is adequately designed to transfer heat from the outside to the room of the building, the present method may be propitious to the energy conservation. Aimed to this purpose, the heat transfer character of the enclosure is analyzed for the change of Nu number with different Ra number and Da number.