Report

CFD Term Paper

By: - Rajat Kumar Varshney
(2017UME0022)
Simulation of Heat Transfer in a Square cavity

Abstract :-
Study of heat transfer by natural convection in a square cavity having fins attached to the
hot wall. A differentially heated square cavity has taken into account. Two horizontal walls
are insulated, whereas the left wall is maintained at higher temperature and right wall is
maintained at lower temperature. Flow field is laminar and steady. All parametric study are
done for Rayleigh number equal to 10^(4). Stream-vorticity method is used to find the
modified governing equations. Finite difference method is used to discretize the governing
equations. A uniform grid in X and Y direction is used for all computations.

Assumptions :-
• All thermophysical properties of the fluid are assumed to be constant, except density
variation in the buoyancy term i.e, Boussinesq approximation is valid.
• Fins are assumed to have very high conductivity i.e, temperature is uniform
throughout the fin.
• Prandtl number is taken as 0.71
Mathematical Model :-
Considering the steady, laminar flow and incompressible fluid. Governing equations are
formulated as follows :-
1. Conservation of mass
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣
+ =0
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
2. Conservation of momentum
𝑢𝜕𝑢 𝑣𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑝 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢
+ = − + 𝜈( 2
+ ) ( x direction)
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜌𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 2
𝑢𝜕𝑣 𝑣𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑝 𝜕2 𝑣 𝜕2 𝑣
+ = − +𝜈( + ) + 𝑔𝛽(𝑇 − 𝑇𝑐 ) ( y direction)
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜌𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦 2

3. Conservation of energy
𝑢𝜕𝑇 𝑣𝜕𝑇 𝜕2𝑇 𝜕2𝑇
+ = 𝛼( 2 + 2 )
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
Dimensionless variables:-
(𝑥,𝑦) (𝑢,𝑣)𝐻 𝑡𝛼
(𝑋, 𝑌) = , (𝑈, 𝑉) = , 𝜏=
𝐻 𝛼𝑅𝑎0.5 𝑃𝑟 0.5 𝐻 2 𝑅𝑎0.5 𝑃𝑟 0.5
𝑝𝐻 2 𝑇−𝑇𝑐
𝑃= , 𝜃=
𝜇𝛼𝑅𝑎0.5 𝑃𝑟 0.5 𝑇ℎ −𝑇𝑐

Dimensionless form of Governing equations:-

𝜕𝑈 𝜕𝑉
1. + =0
𝜕𝑋 𝜕𝑌
𝑈𝜕𝑈 𝑉𝜕𝑈 𝜕𝑃 1 𝜕2 𝑈 𝜕2 𝑈
2. + = − + −0.5 ( 2 + )
𝜕𝑋 𝜕𝑌 𝑅𝑎0.5 𝑃𝑟 −0.5 𝜕𝑋 𝑅𝑎0.5 𝑃𝑟 𝜕𝑋 𝜕𝑌 2
𝑈𝜕𝑉 𝑉𝜕𝑉 𝜕𝑃 1 𝜕2 𝑉 𝜕2 𝑉
3. + = − + ( 𝜕𝑋 2 + 𝜕𝑌 2 ) + 𝜃
𝜕𝑋 𝜕𝑌 𝑅𝑎0.5 𝑃𝑟 −0.5 𝜕𝑌 𝑅𝑎0.5 𝑃𝑟 −0.5
𝑈𝜕𝜃 𝑉𝜕𝜃 1 𝜕2 𝜃 𝜕2 𝜃
4. + = ( + )
𝜕𝑋 𝜕𝑌 𝑅𝑎0.5 𝑃𝑟 0.5 𝜕𝑋 2 𝜕𝑌 2

Using Stream- Vorticity method to eliminate the pressure field from the equations.
𝜕𝜓
1. 𝑈=
𝜕𝑌
𝜕𝜓
2. 𝑉=−
𝜕𝑋
𝜕2 𝜓 𝜕2 𝜓
3. Ω = −( 2 + )
𝜕𝑋 𝜕𝑌 2
𝑈𝜕Ω 𝑉𝜕Ω 1 𝜕2 Ω 𝜕2 Ω 𝜕𝜃
4. + = ( + 2) +
𝜕𝑋 𝜕𝑌 𝑅𝑎0.5 𝑃𝑟 −0.5 𝜕𝑋 2 𝜕𝑌 𝜕𝑥
𝑈𝜕𝜃 𝑉𝜕𝜃 1 𝜕2 𝜃 𝜕2 𝜃
5. + = ( + 2)
𝜕𝑋 𝜕𝑌 𝑅𝑎0.5 𝑃𝑟 0.5 𝜕𝑋 2 𝜕𝑌

𝑔𝛽∆𝜃𝐻 3 𝜈
𝑅𝑎 = , Pr =
𝜈𝛼 𝛼

Boundary conditions:-
1. For the hot wall side of the cavity
𝜕𝑃
U=V=𝜓= = 0 , and 𝜃 = 1
𝜕𝑋

2. For the cold wall side of the cavity

𝜕𝑃
U=V=𝜓= = 0 , and 𝜃 = 0
𝜕𝑋
 3. For two insulated wall side of the cavity
𝜕𝑃 𝜕𝜃
U=V=𝜓= = 0 , and =0
𝜕𝑌 𝜕𝑌
4. For the fins
𝜕𝑃
U=V=𝜓= = 0 , and 𝜃 = 1 , S is the normal fin faces
𝜕𝑆

Nusselt Number Calculation

• On the left wall

Numerical technique :-
Using finite difference method, governing equations are discretized. A uniform grid in X and
Y direction is formed. A grid independence test is performed for Rayleigh number = 10^(4)
without fin. Grid sizes of 21X21, 31X31, 51X51, 61X61 and 71X71 are used to find the
|psimin| value. The values are exactly identical for grid sizes 61X61 and 71X71. As values for
grid size 51X51 and 61X61 are almost under error of 10^(-5), so to decrease the
computational time 51X51 grid is used for all the computations.
3 cases are considered :-
• Without fin
• Only 1 fin ( varying length and height)
• Two fins ( varying length and height)
Nusselt number in the case of without fin is found as:-
At hot side = 2.2987
At cold side = 2.289

Results:-

1. Without fin for Rayleigh Number = 1000

2. Without fin for Rayleigh number = 10^ (4)

Results from the paper: -

Results are almost identical with the given in the paper. The computational time for my
code is very less as compared to the given in the paper. The program is tested and verified
for Rayleigh number = 10^ (3) and 10^ (4).
Streamlines for single fin
a) Fin height = 0.25 and fin length (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)

b) Fin height = 0.50 and fin length (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)

c) Fin height = 0.75 and fin length (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)

Isotherms for single fin
a) Fin height = 0.25 and fin length (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)

b) Fin height = 0.50 and fin length (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)

c) Fin height = 0.75 and fin length (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)

Average Nusselt no. V/s fin length at hot side Average Nusselt no. V/s fin length at cold side

Observation and Comment

Placing a fin has reduced the Nusselt no. at hot side in each case, but it does not mean that
the heat transfer is reduced. High conductivity of fin has increased the heat transfer and
has affected the temperature distribution. Fin of small length has slightly changed the
temperature distribution. Position of fin has a great effect on the temperature distribution.
Fin height < 0.5 i.e. closer to the bottom insulated wall, increases the heat transfer to a
more extent. The larger the fin length the larger is the conduction but it also blocks the flow
of the field to the bottom which as a result reduces the heat transfer through convection.
So, there is optimum fin length (< 0.5). Among the parameters taken fin height = 0.25 and
fin length = 0.75 has given the best result.
Streamlines for Two fins
a) Fins at 0.50 and 0.75 height and lengths (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)

b) Fins at 0.25 and 0.75 height and lengths (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)

c) Fins at 0.25 and 0.50 height and lengths (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)
Isotherms for Two fins
a) Fins at 0.50 and 0.75 height and lengths (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)

`
b) Fins at 0.25 and 0.75 height and lengths (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)

c) Fins at 0.25 and 0.50 height and lengths (0.75, 0.50, 0.25)
Average Nusselt no. V/s fin length at hot side Average Nusselt no. V/s fin length at cold side

Observation and Comment

Placing two fins has reduced the Nusselt No. at the hot side and increased at the cold side.
As there is increase in the heat transfer by conduction, the blockage of flow fluid has also
increased. Here also placing the fins near the insulated wall is giving better results. For fin
height (0.5,0.75) there is very little change in the temperature distribution even for the
larger fin length. For fin height (0.25, 0.50) and (0.25, 0.75) there is a much effect on the
temperature distribution.
Some Results for Ra = 10^ (5)
Single Fin
Two Fins
Conclusion
The flow field and temperature distribution inside the cavity depends on the Rayleigh
number. As the Rayleigh number is increased the convection term starts dominating and
starts making the isotherms somewhat parallel to the horizontal in the middle area.
It has been observed and verified that attaching a fin at the hot side of a square cavity has
increased the heat transfer. The heat transfer with fin depends on the fin length and fin
height. As the fin increases the heat transfer by conduction but it also blocks the heat
transfer by convection. So, there is optimum length i.e. less than 0.5. Also, it has been
observed that height of fin also matters. Attaching it near to the insulated wall increases
the rate of heat transfer. Fin height less than 0.5 is good for heat transfer.
In the case of two fins at a time fins at (0.25, 0.75) and (0.25, 0.50) height are giving the
best results.
For Rayleigh number (>= 105) computational time is very high and in some cases results are
also not coming. For higher Rayleigh no. a finer grid is required which makes difficult to find
result in real time. To overcome this, adaptive meshing can be used. Finer grid is required at
the corners of the cavity and a coarse grid can be used in the middle. It will reduce the
computational time a lot