This paper presents results of steady-state experiments concerned with natural convection heat transfer of air in a rectangular pool in terms of the Nusselt number (Nu) versus the modified Rayleigh number (Ra′) varying from 109 to 1012⁠. Cartridge heaters were immersed in the working fluid to simulate uniform volumetric heat generation. Two types of boundary conditions were adopted in the test: (I) top cooled, and (II) top and bottom cooled. The other sides were kept insulated. In the case of boundary condition II, the upward heat transfer ratio, Nuup∕(Nuup+Nudn)⁠, turned out to be 0.7–0.8 in the range of Ra′ between 1.05×1010 and 3.68×1011⁠.

Issue Section:
Technical Briefs
Keywords:
natural convection, cooling
Topics:
Boundary-value problems, Heat, Heat transfer, Natural convection, Fluids
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