Convective heat transfer in an annular fluid layer with centrifugal force field

Abstract

The present study deals with two‐dimensional convective motion due to the effect of a centrifugal force field on a fluid contained between two horizontal concentric cylinders, for the particular case of an adiabatic inner boundary (zero heat flux) and a constant heat flux imposed on the outer boundary. The normal terrestrial gravity is considered negligible. Governing equations for a two‐dimensional flow field are solved using analytical and numerical techniques. Based on a concentric flow approximation, the analytical solution is obtained in terms of the Rayleigh number and the radius ratio. The numerical solution is based on a finite difference method. Results indicate that the flow field always consists of two symmetrical cells at incipient convection even at radius ratios near unity. A good agreement is found between the analytical and numerical solutions at finite amplitude convection.

Citation

Aboubi, K., Robillard, L., Bilgen, E. and Vasseur, P. (1995), "Convective heat transfer in an annular fluid layer with centrifugal force field", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 5 No. 7, pp. 601-614. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000004079