Solution for Laminar Natural Convection Flows in a Square Cavity With Temperature Dependent Viscosity

This paper presents an examination of numerical results for the buoyancy-driven convection heat transfer problem, in a two-dimensional enclosure under steady-state, laminar, incompressible, and temperature dependent viscosity fluid flow conditions. The vertical walls are exposed to different temperatures and the top and bottom are insulated. Rayleigh numbers of 104, 105, and 106 are considered. Specific heat, thermal conductivity, and the thermal expansion coefficient are assumed constant. Density variation is included using the Oberbeck-Boussinesq approximation. The results are obtained using the SIMPLEC solution technique based on a power-law, finite-volume discretization scheme. The hydrodynamic and thermal fields are presented at various locations in the enclosures.