DOI: 10.1615/ICHMT.2008.CHT
ISBN Print: 978-1-56700-253-9
ISSN: 2578-5486
COMBINED BUOYANCY EFFECTS OF THERMAL AND MASS DIFFUSION ON LAMINAR CONVECTION IN A VERTICAL ISOTHERMAL CHANNEL
RESUMO
This paper deals with a numerical study of laminar mixed convection flow associated with phase change mass transfer in a vertical parallel plates channel. The plates are wetted by thin liquid water films and maintained at a constant temperature lower than that of the air entering the channel. The solution of the governing equations is based on the finite volume method with the well-known SIMPLER algorithm for handling the velocity-pressure coupling. Numerical results show that buoyancy forces have an important effect on hydrodynamic field as well as heat and mass transfer characteristics. These forces induce a flow reversal. Additionally, heat transfer associated with phase change (i.e. latent heat transfer) is more important compared with sensible heat transfer.