Numerical Study of Heat Transfer in a Partitioned Cavity Containing a Porous Medium

Abstract

Cavities separated by multiple vertical partitions and filled with a porous medium present a remarkable thermal insulation quality, offering potential solutions in various engineering fields. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of the presence of a porous medium on heat transfer through a partitioned cavity. We have developed a numerical model based on the Navier-Stokes and heat transfer equations, solved using Ansys Fluent software. We examine the evolution of the Nusselt number (convection and radiation) as a function of the position of the porous medium inside the cavity, as well as physical properties such as emissivity, wall conductivity and Rayleigh number. Current lines and isotherms are obtained from this numerical model. Nusselt numbers for both convection and radiation are calculated, taking into account the position of the porous medium in the system, as well as the effect of varying physical parameters on heat transfer. It has been observed that the presence of the porous medium leads to a reduction in the rate of heat transfer within the cavity. The further the porous medium is from the hot wall, the more pronounced this reduction. In addition, radiative transfer has a downward influence on convective transfer. Furthermore, the convective transfer rate decreases with increasing emissivity. As far as conductivity is concerned, transfer rates (convective and radiative) initially increase until a maximum Nusselt number is reached, after which they gradually decrease with a further increase in conductivity. Nusselt numbers (convection and radiation) increase as the Rayleigh number increases.