Mixed convection heat transfer in open ended channels with protruding heaters

Abstract

Mixed convection heat transfer has been studied in vertical channels, open at the bottom and top, with protruding discrete heaters installed on one side. The flow is assumed to be steady, laminar and two-dimensional. The Boussinesq approximation is used to account for the density variation. Non-dimensional equations of conservation of mass, momentum and energy, with the Boussinesq approximation are solved using the SIMPLER method. Heat transfer through the top and the right are calculated as functions of the Rayleigh number (0≤Ra≤10⁷), the Reynolds number (0≤Re≤200), various aspect ratios (1≤A≤6). The effect of the entrance and exit lengths and that of the position of the electronic components in the channel are also examined. Flow and temperature fields for various cases are produced, and the temperature variations in the electronic components are calculated.