Abstract:

Abstract ABSTRACT: This study is conducted to investigate turbulent natural convection flow in an enclosure with thermal sources using the low-Reynolds number (LRN) k-? model. This enclosure has a cold source with temperature Tc and a hot source with temperature Th as thermal sources, other walls of the enclosure are adiabatic. The aim of this study is to predict the effect of change in Rayleigh number, repositioning of cold and hot sources, and thermal sources aspect ratio on the flow field, temperature, and rate of heat transfer. To achieve this aim, the equations of continuity, momentum, energy, turbulent kinetic energy, and kinetic energy dissipation are employed in the case of 2D turbulence with constant thermo-physical properties except the density in the buoyancy term (Boussinesq approximation). To numerically solve these equations, the finite volume method and SIMPLE algorithm are used. According to the modeling results, the most optimal temperature distribution in the enclosure is seen when the hot source is below the cold source. With decreasing distance between hot and cold sources, heat transfer rate increases. The maximal heat transfer rate is derived via study of the heating sources aspect ratio. In constant positions of cold and hot sources on a wall, the heat transfer rate increases with increasing Rayleigh number (Ra=109-1011).

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