Mixed convection from a multiblock heater in a channel with imposed thermal modulation

Enhancement of mixed-convection heat transfer in a multiblock heater arrangement in a channel is studied. At the most upstream heated block, a time-periodic heat generation is present, while the heat generation is constant in other heater blocks. The explicit effect of using thermal modulation (time-periodic heat generation) at the upstream heater is examined by acquiring comprehensive numerical solutions. The heat transfer enhancement is pronounced at the heaters at far downstream, and the augmentation is maximized when resonance is realized. The resonance frequency is close to the natural frequency of the system, which scales with the time for the main stream to travel through the interblock region. Plots are illustrated to demonstrate the formations of a pair of circulations downstream of the most upstream heater, which leads to identifying the natural frequency. The increase in the overall pressure drop is calculated. The benefit of heat transfer augmentation, as opposed to the increased pressure drop, is assessed to justify the use of thermal modulation in the upstream heater.