Convection naturelle tridimensionnelle en milieu poreux sature par un fluide présentant un maximum de densité (Q761170)

A numerical study has been carried out to investigate the effects of density inversion on free convective heat transfer in a porous medium confined in a parallelepipedic box. The horizontal boundaries are maintained at uniform temperatures and the vertical walls are adiabatic. A parabolic density-temperature relationship is used in Darcy's law. The analysis is performed using a three-dimensional model based on the Galerkin method. An explicit time integration scheme is used. The computation was made assuming a cubic box. Numerical results are discussed, showing that density inversion causes the fluid depth to be divided into two distinctive regions: a lower one in which the heat transfer is chiefly convective, an upper stable one in which the heat transfer occurs by conduction primarily. The effects of maximum density on Nusselt number are also presented.