Influence of baffle location on natural convection in a partially divided enclosure

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Numer. Heat Transfer; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/10407788608913532· OSTI ID:6650700

Jetli, R; Acharya, S; Zimmerman, E

A numerical study has been made of natural convection in a square partitioned enclosure with two offset baffles and perfectly conducting horizontal end walls. The study is made for three different baffle locations and two different conductivities at Rayleigh numbers of 10/sup 4/, 10/sup 5/, and 3.55 X 10/sup 5/. The results clearly demonstrate that baffle position has a significant effect on the heat transfer. As the top baffle is moved toward the cold wall and the bottom baffle toward the hot wall the average Nusselt number value decreases, as does the tendency of the flow to separate behind the baffles. At high Rayleigh numbers the tendency for separation increases and the average Nusselt number value decreases with increasing baffle conductivity. The influence of baffle conductivity on the local Nusselt number distribution increases as the top baffle is moved toward the cold wall and the bottom baffle toward the hot wall. For all baffle locations, the average Nusselt number is smaller than the corresponding value in an enclosure with no baffles.

• Research Organization: Mechanical Engineering Dept., Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA 70803
• OSTI ID: 6650700
• Journal Information: Numer. Heat Transfer; (United States), Journal Name: Numer. Heat Transfer; (United States) Vol. 10:5; ISSN NUHTD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420400* -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
BAFFLES
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
CONVECTION
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
HEAT TRANSFER
MASS TRANSFER
NATURAL CONVECTION
NUSSELT NUMBER
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POSITIONING
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
THERMODYNAMICS
WALLS