Title: Lattice Boltzmann simulation of natural convection with temperature-dependent viscosity in a porous cavity

Authors: Zhaoli Guo, T.S. Zhao

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

Abstract: Laminar convection of a fluid with a temperature-dependent viscosity in an enclosure filled with a porous medium is studied numerically based on a Lattice Boltzmann method. It is shown that the variation in viscosity has significant influences on both flow and heat transfer behaviours. In comparison with the results for constant viscosity, the fluid with variable viscosity exhibits a higher heat transfer rate. The non-Darcy effects on fluid flow and heat transfer are also studied for both constant and variable viscosity.

Keywords: natural convection; variable property heat transfer; porous media; Lattice Boltzmann method; laminar convection; Lattice Boltzmann model; simulation; temperature-dependent viscosity; variable viscosity; fluid flow.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2005.005823

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2005 Vol.5 No.1/2, pp.110 - 117

Published online: 08 Dec 2004 *

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