Modelling natural and mixed convection in obstructed channels

Abstract

The modelling of steady‐state natural and mixed convection in obstructed channels is presented. The two‐dimensional numerical analysis is carried out with a finite element thermally coupled incompressible flow formulation written in terms of the primitive variables of the problem and solved via a generalized streamline operator technique. Natural convection is studied in several vertical channel configurations for a wide range of Rayleigh numbers while mixed convection is analysed in a horizontal channel with a built‐in rectangular cylinder for different Reynolds and Grashof numbers. The results obtained in this work are validated with available experiments and other existing numerical solutions.

Citation

Cruchaga, M. and Celentano, D. (2003), "Modelling natural and mixed convection in obstructed channels", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 57-85. https://doi.org/10.1108/09615530310456769