Laminar Natural Convection Heat Transfer in a Differentially Heated Square Cavity Due to a Thin Fin on the Hot Wall

A finite-volume-based computational study of steady laminar natural convection (using Boussinesq approximation) within a differentially heated square cavity due to the presence of a single thin fin is presented. Attachment of highly conductive thin fins with lengths equal to 20, 35 and 50 percent of the side, positioned at 7 locations on the hot left wall were examined for Ra=10 4 , 10 5 , 10 6 , and 10 7 and Pr=0.707 (total of 84 cases). Placing a fin on the hot left wall generally alters the clockwise rotating vortex that is established due to buoyancy-induced convection. Two competing mechanisms that are responsible for flow and thermal modifications are identified. One is due to the blockage effect of the fin, whereas the other is due to extra heating of the fluid that is accommodated by the fin. The degree of flow modification due to blockage is enhanced by increasing the length of the fin. Under certain conditions, smaller vortices are formed between the fin and the top insulated wall

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