Effect of curvature ratio on cooperating double-diffusive convection in vertical annular cavities

A numerical study is performed on double diffusive natural convection fluid flow in a vertical closed annulus. Uniform temperature and concentration are imposed across the vertical walls. The aim of this study is to present numerical results on the cooperating double diffusive convection phenomena in a vertical annular cavity under different curvature ratio (K = 1-20). The numerical procedure used is based on the solution of the momentum equations coupled with the energy and concentration equations. A finite-volume method is adopted to solve the governing equations. The analysis of the numerical results obtained concerns the study of the effects of the buoyancy ratio governing the physical problem on the heat and mass transfer characteristics and on the flow structure. Double diffusive flow structures have been successfully simulated under certain conditions. © 2006 Asian Network for Scientific Information.