Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
661825 | International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer | 2008 | 11 Pages |
Temperature-dependent viscosity variation effect on Bénard convection, of a gas or a liquid, in an enclosure filled with a porous medium is studied numerically, based on the general model of momentum transfer in a porous medium. The exponential form of viscosity–temperature relation is applied to examine three cases of viscosity–temperature relation: constant (μ=μC)(μ=μC), decreasing (down to 0.13μC0.13μC) and increasing (up to 7.39μC7.39μC). Effects of fluid viscosity variation on isotherms, streamlines, and the Nusselt number are studied. Application of the effective and average Rayleigh number is examined. Defining a reference temperature, which does not change with the Rayleigh number but increases with the Darcy number, is found to be a viable option to account for temperature-dependent viscosity variation.