Natural convection between a circular enclosure and an elliptic cylinder using Control Volume based Finite Element Method

Abstract

In this study natural convection heat transfer in a cold outer circular enclosure containing a hot inner elliptic cylinder is investigated numerically using the Control Volume based Finite Element Method (CVFEM). Both of the circular enclosure and the inner cylinder are maintained at constant temperatures with air filled inside the enclosure. The governing equations are used in their vorticity stream function form to simulate the fluid flow and heat transfer. The numerical calculations are performed for various Rayleigh numbers, the inclination angle of the enclosure and different sizes of inner cylinder. The results show that streamlines, isotherms, and the number, size and formation of the cells inside the enclosure are strongly depend on these parameters which considerably enhance the heat transfer rate.