ISSN Online: 2377-424X
ISBN Print: 0-89116-559-2
International Heat Transfer Conference 8
MIXED CONVECTION IN THE THERMAL PLUME ABOVE A HORIZONTAL LINE SOURCE OF HEAT IN A POROUS MEDIUM OF INFINITE EXTENT
Sinopsis
An analysis is performed to study the effects of transverse thermal dispersion and inertia on the mixed convection boundary layer flow in the thermal plume above a horizontal line source in a porous medium of infinite extent. A local similarity solution is obtained where the dependent and independent variables are scaled to a mixed convection parameter applicable at both the free-and forced-convection limits. The solution is valid from the free-convection dominated region near the heat source to that of the forced-convection dominated region away from the source. Numerical computations of the temperature and vertical velocity profiles were carried out for the cases of air, water and silicon oil for a wide range of the mixed convection parameter. The effects of the transverse thermal dispersion and inertia on the heat transfer and fluid flow char-acteristics from free- to forced-convection limits are illustrated.