Numerical analysis of gray gas radiation effects on heat and mass transfer in an annular cavity

Abstract

This study deals with a numerical investigation of coupled double diffusive natural-convection with thermal radiation in an annular cavity containing a gray gas mixture. The black vertical cylindrical walls are maintained at different temperatures and concentrations to create cooperating flows. The finite volume method (using the SIMPLER algorithm) is used to solve the governing equations and the discrete ordinate method (with S8 quadrature) to treat the radiative aspect of the problem. A parametric study illustrating the influence of the optical thickness and the ratio of buoyancy forces, on the flow field and heat and mass transfer for Reyleigh number equal to 5 ∙ 106 and aspect ratio equal to 1, is performed. The numerical results show that gas radiation modifies the flow structure and the distribution of temperature and concentration in the cavity. The effect of permutation of boundary conditions, between the vertical walls, on heat and mass transfer is also considered. The thermal radiation reduces the total heat transfer in the annular space regardless of the configuration of the boundary conditions