Heat transfer effects of chimney height, diameter, and Prandtl number

This study investigates the heat transfer enhancement of a chimney system, both experimentally and numerically, by varying the height and diameter of the chimney, and the Prandtl number of the working fluid. Mass transfer experiments are carried out using a sulfuric acid and copper sulfate electroplating system based on analogy concepts. Numerical simulations are executed using FLUENT 6.3. Natural convection experiments and numerical calculations performed without a chimney showed good agreement with the Le Fevre correlation for natural convection on a vertical plate. As the chimney height is increased, the heat transfer rates are enhanced for all Prandtl numbers, but the enhancement rates decrease as the Prandtl number increases. An optimal chimney diameter is found that maximizes the heat transfer. An increase in heat input or heated length results in an additional enhancement of the heat transfer, increasing the buoyancy force. Numerical results provide visualizations of the temperature and velocity fields in the chimneys, showing their interactions and flow regimes. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.