Natural convection in partially porous media: a brief overview

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a limited, but selective bibliography on modelling heat and mass transfer in composite fluid‐porous domains.

Design/methodology/approach

Since the pioneer study by Beavers and Joseph, the problem of interface continuity and/or jump conditions at a fluid‐porous interface has been of interest to the fluid mechanics and heat and mass transfer community. The paper is concerned both with numerical simulations of heat and fluid flow in such systems, and with the linear stability problems.

Findings

The one‐ and two‐domain formulations are equivalent. Using the Darcy‐Brinkman extension instead of the Darcy model reduces the number of ad hoc parameters in this configuration.

Research limitations/implications

The problem of double diffusive convection has still to be solved and analyzed.

Practical implications

The discussion on the interface conditions is of great relevance to many industrial and practical situations.

Originality/value

The important question of the macroscopic formulation of the problem is tackled in the paper.

Citation

Gobin, D. and Goyeau, B. (2008), "Natural convection in partially porous media: a brief overview", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 18 No. 3/4, pp. 465-490. https://doi.org/10.1108/09615530810853682