EFFECT OF AN INSULATED BAFFLE ON PSEUDOSTEADY-STATE NATURAL CONVECTION INSIDE SPHERICAL CONTAINERS

摘要

The effect of an insulated thin baffle on pseudosteady-state natural convection within spherical containers is studied computationally. The computations are based on an iterative, finite-volume numerical procedure using primitive dependent variables, whereby the time-dependent, two-dimensional axisymmetric form of the governing continuity, momentum and energy equations are solved. Natural convection effect is modeled via the Boussinesq approximation. Parametric studies were performed for a Prandtl number of 0.7. For Rayleigh numbers of 10~4, 10~5, 10~6 and 10~7, baffles with 3 lengths positioned at 5 different locations were investigated. In effect, a parametric study involving 60 cases were performed. The computational results were benchmarked against previous data available in the literature by comparing the heat transfer correlations, temperature distribution and streamline patterns for cases with no baffle. In general, regardless of the presence of an insulated baffle, fluid that is heated adjacent to the surface of the sphere rises replacing the colder fluid which sinks downward. For high Ra number cases, the hot fluid at the bottom of the sphere is also observed to rise along the symmetry axis and encounter the sinking colder fluid. This behavior can lead to onset of oscillations in the temperature and flow fields. Due to blockage effect of an insulated thin baffle, multi-cell recirculating vortex structures are observed. The number and strength of these vortices depend on the position and length of the baffle. In the absence of heat transfer path through the insulated baffle, flow obstruction is the major feature of this problem. For the majority of the length and location combinations investigated, less heat is brought into the fluid thus lowering the time rate of rise of the bulk temperature. The extent of heat transfer modification depends on the Rayleigh number, length and location of the extended surface.