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Abstract: Natural convection in an open ended cavity is simulated using Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). The paper is intended to address the physics of flow and heat transfer in open end cavities and close end slots. The flow is induced into the cavity by buoyancy force due to a heated vertical wall. Also, the paper demonstrated that open boundary conditions used at the opening of the cavity is reliable, where the predicted results are similar to conventional CFD method (finite volume method, FVM) predictions. Prandtl number (Pr) is fixed to 0.71 (air) while Rayleigh number (Ra) and aspect ratio (A) of the cavity are changed in the range of 104–106 and of 0.5–10, respectively. It is found that the rate of heat transfer deceases asymptotically as the aspect ratio increases and may reach conduction limit for large aspect ratio. The flow evaluation in the cavity starts with recirculation inside the cavity, as the time proceeds the flow inside the cavity communicates with the ambient. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper focuses on the investigation of the 3D mathematical model to simulate the coupled heat and liquid moisture transfer in hygroscopic porous fibrous media. The flow of the liquid moisture, the water vapor sorption/desorption by fibers and the diffusion of the water vapor are taken into account in this 3D model. Prediction-corrector method is used to solve the 3D governing equations. A series of computational results of the coupled heat and moisture transfer are obtained with the specific initial conditions and boundary conditions. The distribution of the water vapor concentration in the void spaces, the volume fraction of the liquid water in the void spaces, the distribution of the water content in fibers and the changes of the temperature in porous fibrous media are computed. It is shown that the effects of the gravity and capillary actions are significant in hygroscopic porous fibrous media. The comparison with the experimental measurements shows the reasonable agreement between the two. The results illustrate that the 3D model of the coupled heat and liquid moisture transfer in hygroscopic porous fibrous media is satisfactory. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]