Conjugate natural convection in three-dimensional differentially heated cubic partitioned cavity filled with air and water

Abstract

Conjugate natural convection heat transfer in a three-dimensional differentially heated, partitioned cubic cavity filled with air in one side and water in other side is investigated numerically in this study. Fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics are governed by continuity, momentum and energy equations, which are solved using Galerkin finite element method. Effect of different positions of the solid vertical partition inside the cavity on the overall heat transfer and fluid flow scenario is observed here. Simulation is performed within a range of Rayleigh number based on the properties of air (103 ≤ Raa ≤ 105). Results are obtained in the form of isosurface plots of velocity and temperature and contour plots of heat function within the computational domain. Besides, average Nusselt numbers of both hot and cold walls are evaluated and compared with a two-dimensional model for different positions of the solid partition. From the comparative analysis, it is found that partition position has strong influence on overall heat transfer rate.