Numerical Simulation of Mixed Convection in a Rotating Cylindrical Cavity : Influence of Prandtl Number

• Published in: Advances in Mechanical Engineering Vol. 2013; no. 2013; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Urquiza, Gustavo, Castro, Laura, García, Juan, Basurto, Miguel, Bogarin, Enoc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Puplishing Corporation 2013; SAGE Publications; SAGE Publishing
• ISSN: 1687-8132; 1687-8140; 1687-8132
• DOI: 10.1155/2013/950765

A numerical study of the flow and heat transfer on a rotating cylindrical cavity solving the mass, momentum, and energy equations is presented in this work. The study describes the influence of the Prandtl number on flow in critical state on a cavity which contains a cooling fluid. Problem studied includes Prandtl numbers 0.00115, aspect ratios 0.25< A >1, and Reynolds numbers 0.001600. Differential equations have been discretised using the finite differences method. The results show a tendency followed by heat transfer as the Reynolds number increases from 300 to 600; in addition, emphasis on the critical values of the Rayleigh number for small Prandtl numbers shows that thermal instability in mixed convection depends on the Prandtl number.