Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Title

Flow Structure and Heat Transfer in a Lower Half Heated and Upper Half Cooled Rectangular Enclosure

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 9-2006

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental and numerical investigation on the natural convection in a rectangular enclosure with lower-half-heated, upper-half-cooled sidewalls. The flow structure contains thin wall-layers and large central vortical circulating zones. The mixing process and the fluid paths caused by the wall-layer head-on collisions and stream–stream interaction are fundamental to the development of the heat and fluid transport mechanisms. The understanding of the flow structures and their mutual interaction provides a guide leading to the optimization of the autoclave internal architecture and to practical suggestions for the design strategy of crystal growth vessels.

Publication Title

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer

Volume

49

Issue

19-20

First Page

3462

Last Page

3476

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