This paper deals with a numerical study of mixed convection heat transfer in horizontal eccentric annulus. The inner cylinder is supposed hot and rotating, however the outer one is kept cold and motionless. The numerical problem was solved using COMSOL Multiphysics® which is based on finite element method. The resolution of the partial differential equations was conducted through an implicit scheme with the use of the damped Newton’s method. The present numerical analysis concerns the effect of eccentricity, rotation speed and Rayleigh number on the flow patterns, heat transfer rate, and energy efficiency of the process. It was found that the heat transfer rate increases with the increase of Rayleigh number. In addition, the heat transfer rate drops with the increase of rotation speed. Finally, we have demonstrated that maximum energy efficiency is achieved not only with higher Rayleigh number but also it is maximum with small eccentricity.
This paper deals with adimensionnal analysis of natural convection in a horizontal cylindrical annulus. The inner cylinder is isothermally heated and rotates with an angular velocity Ω, however the outer one is kept cold and motionless. The gap between cylinders is defined by an adimensional radius ratio f. The numerical study was carried out using COMSOL Multiphysics. The effects of Rayleigh number ranging from 102 to 106, radius ratio and rotation velocity on the flow pattern and the thermal behavior in the annulus are then elaborated. Particular attention is paid to the effect of different parameters on the local Nusselt numbers on the inner and outer cylinders, the mean Nusselt number and the energy efficiency of the process. Results show that the mean Nusselt number increases with the increase of Rayleigh number. However, it decreases with the increase of the radius ratio f because of the narrowing of the annulus. The results prove also that the heat transfer rate drops with the rise of rotation velocity. Finally, it was found that the energy efficiency achieved its maximum for lower Rayleigh numbers Ra=103, and lower rotation velocities.
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