3-DIMENSIONAL NATURAL-CONVECTION OF AIR IN AN INCLINED CUBIC CAVITY

Abstract

Three-dimensional steady and transient natural convective flow in a differentially heated inclined cubic cavity of air was numerically simulated by the projection method combined with the power law scheme. Various three-dimensional flow structures were induced, depending on the Reyleigh number and inclined angle, although the main flow is nearly two-dimensional. It is of interest to note that the flow is stronger when a vertical cavity is inclined, implying significant flow acceleration by the buoyancy component normal to the hot and cold walls. Change in the flow structure during the transient causes wavy variation of the space-averaged Nusselt number with time.