Numerical Investigation on the Steady State Natural Convection in a Horizontal Open-Ended Cavity with a Heated Upper Wall

Abstract

In this article, the investigation is focused on a configuration made of two horizontal parallel plates with the upper plate heated at uniform heat flux and the lower one adiabatic. Results are presented in terms of velocity and temperature fields, and both the temperature and the velocity profiles at different sections are shown. They are reported at two Rayleigh numbers, 10³ and 10⁵, and for two aspect ratio values, 1 and 10. Results are also shown in terms of the upper and lower wall temperature profiles. Correlations for average Nusselt numbers and maximum dimensionless wall temperature, in terms of Rayleigh number and aspect ratio, are given for 10³ ≤ Ra ≤ 10⁵ and 1 ≤ L/b ≤ 10.

This work was funded by the Regione Campania Legge 5, SUN 2008 research grants and MIUR with Articolo 12 D.M. 593/2000 Grandi Laboratori Pubblico-Privato “Elioslab.”