Three-dimensional natural convection flow around an isothermal cube

Journal Article · · International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0735-1933(93)90074-6· OSTI ID:5966333

Cha, D J; Cha, S S ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Illinois, Chicago (United States). Dept of Mechanical Engineering

Laminar steady gravity-driven flow around a single isothermal cube in an infinite medium is investigated by employing a control-volume finite difference technique and holographic interferometry. The Rayleigh number is varied in a wide range while the Prandtl number is fixed at a specific value. To validate the numerical solutions the calculated isothermal contours are qualitatively compared with the isophase lines in multidirectional interferograms. The heat transfer results are presented in terms of the average Nusselt number and the face-average Nusselt numbers at the top, bottom, and side walls of the cube. Some heat transfer results are also compared with those previously reported. Maximum heat transfer occurs at the bottom at a low Rayleigh number. However, as the Rayleigh number increases it shifts to the side walls. The heat transfer rate at the top wall is approximately one-third of the maximum value for the range of Rayleigh number investigated.

• OSTI ID: 5966333
• Journal Information: International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer; (United States), Journal Name: International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer; (United States) Vol. 20:5; ISSN 0735-1933; ISSN IHMTDL
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420400* -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
CALCULATION METHODS
CONVECTION
ENERGY TRANSFER
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
FLOW VISUALIZATION
FLUID FLOW
HEAT TRANSFER
HOLOGRAPHY
INTERFEROMETRY
ITERATIVE METHODS
LAMINAR FLOW
MASS TRANSFER
NATURAL CONVECTION
NUMERICAL SOLUTION