Description

Numerical studies for steady, low level turbulence natural convection flows in air filled, 2-d, in rectangular enclosures with two differentially heated side walls, are conducted. The turbulent viscous flow inside a confined enclosure and the temperature distribution are described by the steady RANS equations coupled with high Reynolds turbulence models. The two equations
turbulence models k-ε, rng k-ε and k-ω are tested and comparisons are made, in the case of the square cavity, with the experimental benchmark data as well as with other cfd data available in the literature. The main objective is to use the RANS model to study the effect of turbulence on natural convection in a variety of rectangular enclosures which are specified by the aspect ratio of the air filled cavity, i.e the ratio height/width.
The study intends to focus on the influence of the aspect ratio of the cavity on the local Nusselt number for the range of Rayleigh numbers of 10^8- 10^12. The aspect ratio of the examined enclosures are 0,5, 1, 2, 5 and 10,
respectively. The predictions of velocities, temperatures are in good agreement with experimental and numerical data available in the literature in the case of square cavity.