Heat transfer in rotating cylindrical cells with partitions

Abstract

A numerical analysis and an experimental study of heat transfer rate in rotating cylindrical cells with partitions are performed. The work is done mainly in the Ekman suction regime, where the Coriolis force dominates over centrifugal buoyancy. It is shown that the heat transfer rate increases substantially by placing partitions in the cell. The partitions suppress the Coriolis force so that convection induced by the centrifugal buoyancy becomes important. It is found that the Nusselt number correlates with the parameter PrβΔTEk −1/2 with the partitions. The partitions have no effect on the heat transfer in the centrifugal buoyancy convection regime.