Superposition Relations for Forced Convective Local Nusselt Numbers for Flow Through Asymmetrically Heated Parallel-Plate Channels

Abstract

In this article, explicit relations to calculate the local Nusselt number from the values corresponding to the boundary condition of the first kind have been developed for forced convective flow through asymmetrically heated parallel-plate channels. The asymmetric thermal boundary condition is characterized by a parameter, A, defined as the ratio of wall temperatures in excess of the entry fluid temperature. The boundary condition of the first kind corresponds to A = 0 or A → ∞. The validity of the superposition relations has been established from the numerical results obtained for the simple model of hydrodynamically developed and thermally developing flow. However, the superposition relations can be expected to be valid, as long as geometric and flow symmetry are preserved.

Acknowledgments

V. V. Satyamurty is a professor of mechanical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, India. He joined IIT as a faculty member in 1980 and held the position of Dean, Continuing Education, during 2000–2003. He worked at the Solar Energy Laboratory, University of Wisconsin, Madison, as a UNESCO fellow during 1981, on deputation from IIT Kharagpur. Prior to joining IIT he taught at BITS, Pilani, India (1975–1976), and worked in the research and development (R&D) center for the Iron and Steel of Steel Authority of India at Ranchi (1976–1978) and at the Energy Division of Jyoti Ltd., Vadodara, India (1978–1980). He obtained his bachelor's degree (1968) in mechanical engineering from Andhra University College of Engineering, Visakhapatnam, India, and master's (1972) and doctoral (1976) degrees from IIT, Kanpur, India. His research interests include numerical heat transfer, particularly in free and forced convection, which also includes solidification and melting. His work also includes fluid flow and heat transfer in porous media. His interests in the area of energy are centered on solar energy thermal systems, long-term performance prediction, and synthetic meteorological data generation. His most recent interest in this area centers on building design for natural illuminance.

R. Repaka is working as an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India. He obtained his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, M.E. in mechanical engineering from Jadavpur University Kolkata, India, and B.E. in mechanical engineering from Andhra University, India. His research areas include heat transfer, computational fluid dynamics, and thermal engineering.