Open Access

ARTICLE

Thermal Behavior of a U-shaped Channel Subject to a Convective Air Jet and Immersed in an Isothermal Medium

Meryem NAOUM¹, Mustapha EL ALAMI²

1, 2 LPMMAT Groupe de thermique, Faculté des sciences, Université Hassan II- Casablanca, BP 5366 Maarif, Casablanca, Morocco

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2016, 12(2), 56-68. https://doi.org/10.3970/fdmp.2016.012.056

Abstract

A numerical study of mixed convection from a U-shaped channel is carried out. The flow is considered two dimensionnel. The inlet opening is adjusted in the right vertical part of the channel, while the outlet one is placed on the left vertical part. Navier–Stokes equations are solved using a control volume method and the SIMPLEC algorithm is considered for the treatment of pressure–velocity coupling. Special emphasis is given to detail the effect of the Reynolds and Rayleigh numbers on the heat transfer generated by mixed convection. The results are given for the parameters of control as, Rayleigh number (5.10³≤Ra≤10⁷), Prandtl number (Pr = 0.72), the hight of the vertical walls (h=5) and Reynolds number (100≤Re≤700). The results show that the flow structure and the heat transfer depend significantly on the inlet opening boundary conditions. Two principal kinds of the problem solution have emerged. Significant correlations are proposed related to the Nusselt number variation with Re or with Ra.

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Keywords

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