Simulation of natural convection in an inclined polar cavity using a finite-difference lattice Boltzmann method

Abstract

Natural convection heat transfer in an inclined polar cavity was studied using a Finite-difference lattice Boltzmann method (FDLBM) based on a double-population approach for body-fitted coordinates. A D2G9 model coupled with the simplest TD2Q4 lattice model was applied to determine the velocity field and temperature field. For both velocity and temperature fields, the discrete spatial derivatives were obtained by combining the upwind scheme with the central scheme, and the discrete temporal term is obtained using a fourth-order Runge-Kutta scheme. Studies were carried out for different Rayleigh numbers and different inclination angles. The results in terms of streamlines, isotherms, and Nusselt numbers explain the heat transfer mechanism of natural convection in an inclined polar cavity due to the change of Rayleigh number and inclination angle.