Void Aspect Ratio Research Articles

Effect of Wall Heat Conduction on Natural Convection Heat Transfer in a Square Enclosure

This paper presents numerical and experimental results for buoyancy-induced flow in a two-dimensional, fluid-filled enclosure. Rectangular cavities formed by finite conductance walls of different void fractions and aspect ratios are considered. Parametric heat transfer calculations have been performed and results are presented and discussed. Local and average Nusselt numbers along the cavity walls are reported for a range of parameters of physical interest. The temperatures in the walls were measured with thermocouples, and the temperature distributions in the air-filled cavity were determined using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Good agreement has been obtained between the measured and the predicted temperatures in both the solid wall and in the fluid using the mathematical model. Wall heat conduction reduces the average temperature differences across the cavity, partially stabilizes the flow, and decreases natural convection heat transfer.