Effect of Variable Sidewall Temperatures on the Combined Surface Radiation—Convection in a Discretely Heated Enclosure

Abstract

This paper reports the changes made in the flow and heat transfer characteristics of a closed enclosure in the presence of sidewalls with symmetrical linear heating. The flow inside the enclosure is primarily driven by a centrally placed discrete heater with thermal radiation included at all surfaces involved. Finite volume method-based computational results corresponding to the resulting steady-state were obtained. The factors causing augmentation and suppression of heat transfer are discussed for two types of sidewall heating. Moreover, it is found that the role of radiation is well stronger than convection in determining the total heat transfer rate when the sidewall heating is decreasing with height.