Numerical simulation of natural convection in an inclined porous cavity under time-periodic boundary conditions with a partially active thermal side wall

Abstract

Natural convection in an inclined porous cavity with positively or negatively inclined angles is studied numerically for time-periodic boundary conditions on the left side wall and partially active thermal boundary conditions on the right wall. The results show that a partially active thermal boundary condition on wall B can lead to heat transfer between two opposing vertical side walls. Temperature locations on wall B have significant effects on heat transfer of wall B, but weak effects on that of wall A. Compared with the uniform thermal boundaries, the non-uniform temperature distributions on wall B can reduce the oscillation amplitude of Nu_B. The absolute value of Nu_av for the uniform boundary condition on wall B is highest when |φ| > 30° and the differences of Nu_av between different boundary conditions on wall B decrease with the increasing of |φ|.