Natural convection in undivided and partially divided rectangular enclosures

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · J. Heat Transfer; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3244518· OSTI ID:5878789

Nansteel, M W; Greif, R

Heat transfer by natural convection in a two-dimensional rectangular enclosure fitted with partial vertical divisions in investigated experimentally. The horizontal walls of the enclosure are adiabatic while the vertical walls are maintained at different temperatures. The experiments are carried out with water, Prapprox. =3.5, for Rayleigh numbers in the range, 2.3 x 10/sup 10/< or =Ra/sub L/< or =1.1 x 10/sup 11/, and an aspect ratio, A = H/L = 1/2. The effect of the partial vertical divisions on the fluid flow and temperature fields is investigated by dye-injection flow visualization and by thermocouple probes, respectively. The effect of the partitions on heat transfer across the enclosure is also studied and correlations for the Nusselt number as a function of Ra/sub L/ and partition length are generated for both conducting and non-conducting partition materials. Partial divisions are found to have a significant effect on the heat transfer; especially when the divisions are adiabatic. The results also indicate that the partial divisions may have a stabilizing effect on the laminar-transitional flow on the heated vertical walls of the enclosure.

• Research Organization: Passive Solar Analysis and Design Group, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universtiy of California, Berkeley, Calif. 94720
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5878789
• Journal Information: J. Heat Transfer; (United States), Journal Name: J. Heat Transfer; (United States) Vol. 103:4; ISSN JHTRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420400* -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer &amp; Fluid Flow
ADIABATIC PROCESSES
CONFIGURATION
CONVECTION
DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUID FLOW
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
ISOTHERMAL PROCESSES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NATURAL CONVECTION
NUMERICAL DATA
NUSSELT NUMBER
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
THERMOCOUPLES
WALLS
WATER