Effect of discrete heater at the vertical wall of the cavity over the heat transfer and entropy generation using LBM

Abstract

In this paper Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) was employed for investigation the effect of the heater location on flow pattern, heat transfer and entropy generation in a cavity. A 2D thermal lattice Boltzmann model with 9 velocities, D2Q9, is used to solve the thermal flow problem. The simulations were performed for Rayleigh numbers from 103 to 106 at Pr = 0.71. The study was carried out for heater length of 0.4 side wall length which is located at the right side wall. Results are presented in the form of streamlines, temperature contours, Nusselt number and entropy generation curves. Results show that the location of heater has a great effect on the flow pattern and temperature fields in the enclosure and subsequently on entropy generation. The dimensionless entropy generation decreases at high Rayleigh number for all heater positions. The ratio of averaged Nusselt number and dimensionless entropy generation for heater located on vertical and horizontal walls was calculated. Results show that higher heat transfer was observed from the cold walls when the heater located on vertical wall. On the other hand, heat transfer increases from the heater surface when it located on the horizontal wall.