Numerical Analysis of Dynamic Viscosity Effect Associated with a Continuously Moving Heated Horizontal plate

Abstract

This work presents numerical studies of the effects of varying dynamic viscosity coupled with viscous-energy dissipation function on the convective heat transfer in a fluid-filled rectangular cavity. The cavity was filled with fluids as quenching media.

The flow governing equations including the momentum and energy equations were solved using the finite difference method. The study was carried out for different fluids such as oil with Prandtl number, Pr = 10, air with Prandtl number, Pr = 0.7 and liquid metal with Prandtl number, Pr = 0.01, for various dynamic viscosity parameters in the range 5*10^-1 ? ? ? 9*10^-1, and heat capacity in the range 1?Cp?10 in order to characterize the nature of the flow patterns and energy distribution.

The results revealed that the dynamic viscosity has significant influence on the velocity and temperature profiles for a particular specific heat capacity and Prandtl number higher than unity at fixed viscous dissipation. Further results show that an increase in the dynamic viscosity for a Prandtl number greater than unity leads to a significant decrease in the maximum velocity attainable in the cavity. It was concluded that the dynamic viscosity and specific heat capacity have significance influence on energy distribution and the rate of heat transfer in the enclosure. The results would be useful as baseline design data for manufacturing and material processing industries involved with wire drawing, continuous rolling.

Keywords: Mixed Convection, Heat transfer, Dynamic Viscosity, Isotherms, Finite difference scheme