Numerical studies of forced convection heat transfer from a cylinder embedded in a packed bed

Abstract

Forced convection heat transfer from a cylinder embedded in a packed bed was studied numerically. The local volume-averaged conservation equations were used to examine the effects of the governing dimensionless parameters: the Reynolds, Darcy, Forchheimer and effective Prandtl numbers. An increase in either the Reynolds number or effective Prandtl number resulted in heat transfer enhancement. The effect of decreasing Darcy number ( Da) was an increase in the Nusselt number. The effect of Forchheimer number on heat transfer was found to depend on the product of Darcy and Reynolds numbers ( Da Re D ). Through a comparison of numerical predictions with experimental data, effective conductivities were extracted and average thermal dispersion effects were quantified.