Optimizing Baffle Length for Mixed Convective Flow Within a Ventilated Square Cavity with Discrete Heat Sources Mounted at Side Walls

Mixed convection within a ventilated square cavity with a baffle at the bottom wall and heating elements at the side walls has been analyzed. The inlet opening has been set at the bottom of the left wall, while the exit opening is put at the bottom of the right wall. Considering air (Pr = 0.71), dimensionless and steady form of mass, momentum and energy equations are solved by implementing proper boundary conditions with the help of the Galerkin method-based finite element scheme. Maintaining pure mixed convection (Ri = 1), baffle length is changed from 0 to 0.95L, and heater location is varied from 0.1L to 0.7L across Re = 10 to 1000. Qualitative changes of the domain are observed with the help of streamlining and isothermal plots. For quantitative comparison, average temperature, Nusselt number, pressure drop and performance index have been considered. The counteracting effects of the increase in Nusselt number and pressure drop are accounted for together with the help of the performance index, which yielded the most economical and optimum baffle height and heater location. The final evaluation shows that the optimum length of the baffle and the position of the heaters can perform most effectively in the range of Re = 20 – 400.

Optimizing Baffle Length for Mixed Convective Flow Within a Ventilated Square Cavity with Discrete Heat Sources Mounted at Side Walls Keywords:

Mixed convection , Baffle , Vented Cavity , Discrete Heating Element , Performance Index