Analysis of Flow and Heat Transfer in a Vertical Rectangular Duct Using a Non-Darcy Model

Abstract

Numerical investigation of steady natural convection flow through a fluid-saturated porous medium in a vertical rectangular duct is investigated. The Darcy-Forchheimer-Brinkman model is used to represent the fluid transport within the porous medium. One of the vertical walls of the duct is cooled to a constant temperature, while the other wall is heated to constant but different temperature. The other two sides of the duct are insulated. The finite difference method of second-order accuracy is used to solve the non-dimensional governing equations. The results are presented graphically to show the effects of the Darcy number, inertial parameter, Grashof number, Brinkman number, aspect ratio, and viscosity ratio. It is found that an increase in the Darcy number and inertial parameter reduces the flow intensity whereas an increase in the Grashof number, Brinkman number, aspect ratio, and viscosity ratio increases the flow intensity. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.