A numerical study of natural convection in partially open enclosures with a conducting side-wall

A numerical study of natural convection generated by a cold vertical wall of an enclosure with two openings on the opposite wall of finite thickness is presented. The enclosure is connected to an infinite reservoir filled with hot air. A two-dimensional laminar flow is assumed both within the enclosure and along the side of the bounding wall immersed into the reservoir The effects of the size of the openings, spacing between the vertical walls and thermal resistance of the bounding wall are investigated. Numerical results are discussed for aspect ratios of the enclosure and Rayleigh numbers relevant to practical applications.