A segregated spectral element method for thermomagnetic convection of paramagnetic fluid in rectangular enclosures with sinusoidal temperature distribution on one side wall

Abstract

An accurate segregated spectral element method is developed to simulate the thermomagnetic convection in an air-filled rectangular enclosure, which has spatially varying sinusoidal temperature distribution on the left wall with all the other walls insulated. The numerical scheme is based on spectral elements in space and the semi-implicit method for pressure linked equations algorithm is adopted to decouple the flow variables. The validation tests with analytical solution and natural convection verify the high accuracy of the algorithm. The fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in the enclosure are systematically studied, including the influences of magnetic strength, aspect ratio, and position of the heating part. The results show that the addition of an external magnetic field significantly increases the heat transfer rate in the enclosure, and the fluid on the right side is well heated to form a uniform temperature field.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 51776155; and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China under Grant No. xjj2018203.