Numerical analysis of buoyancy driven heat transfer control in a square enclosure with high viscosity materials

Abstract

The effect of inserted flat plate on natural convection heat transfer in a square enclosure containing high viscosity materials for various angle of inclinations is numerically investigated. High viscosity of fluid flow at low speed leads to laminar range of Raleigh numbers from 0 to 107.The square enclosure with two isothermal vertical walls at different temperatures and with two horizontal walls at adiabatic conditions are analysed numerically for lower and higher laminar range of Rayleigh numbers 104 and 107. The governing conservative equations are solved using SIMPLE algorithm with second order upwind scheme satisfying suitable boundary conditions. Contour plots of streamlines and isothermals are used for qualitative presentation of results. Local Nusselt number and the average Nusselt number are graphically presented for various configurations. The convection heat transfer in the enclosure is found to vary with the angle of inclination and length of the plate, in addition to the Rayleigh number. The higher level of effectiveness is observed at lower Rayleigh number 104 in comparison with 107.