ISSN Online: 2377-424X
ISBN Print: 0-89116-909-1
International Heat Transfer Conference 9
FREE CONVECTION IN PARTIALLY-FILLED CYLINDERS
Abstract
This paper reports on a non-invasive flow visualization technique suitable for thermal convection studies. The technique is applied to an investigation of transient thermal free convection in a partly-filled, horizontal cylinder. The technique uses an Argon ion laser to bleach time-lines and streak-lines in aqueous solutions containing photobleaching dyes. These features are made visible by coplanar illumination with a laser light sheet. The images are recorded using video camera and tape recorder and the images processed to enhance image contrast, extract features and create composite images. A spatial correlation technique is employed to estimate local flow velocities from the visualization images. The experimental results are compared with those of a numerical solution formulated in primitive variables. Reasonable agreement is found between the experimental and numeric data.