Thermal Analysis of Conjugate Convective Flow in a Vented Chamber Featuring Different Heat-Generating Solid Objects

Abstract

This paper presents an extensive thermal analysis of conjugate combined forced and free convective flow within a vented square domain incorporating heat generation and conduction inside an internal solid domain. A solid object with any of the four distinct shapes, namely a square, an equilateral triangle, a regular hexagon, or a circle, is centrally placed inside the compartment to inspect the fluid and heat flow characteristics. The Galerkin finite element procedure is applied to numerically solve the system of continuity, momentum, and heat energy equations. Parametric variation of the controlling parameters, such as Reynolds, Grashof, and Richardson numbers, is carried out along with the alteration of the size of the solid object. The average quantity of Nusselt number, fluid temperature, pressure coefficient, and thermal effectiveness are evaluated to assess the system’s thermal and hydraulic performance. Qualitative visualization of isotherms and streamlines is also provided. The current findings reveal the dominant influence of object size on thermal efficiency and flow patterns. A smaller object yields enhanced heat transfer. Comparative analysis further indicates that the circular object exhibits the highest heat transfer characteristics. This study contributes to understanding conjugate mixed convection behavior and provides insights for optimizing thermal performance in similar systems.