Heatline visualization in turbulent flow

The concept of a heat function is introduced to visualize the path of heat flow in a buoyancy-driven turbulent flow heated vertical flat plate. The velocities and the temperature field near the vertical plate are predicted numerically, using an algebraic flux model of turbulent heat transport. As an accurate prediction of the turbulent heat flux is required in order to predict the heat function in the flow field, the use of an algebraic flux model for the turbulent heat transport <(theta u(i))over bar>, is made as compared with a simple eddy diffusivity hypothesis. The algebraic flux expression was closed with a low-Re-number-k-epsilon-<(theta(2))over bar>-epsilon(theta) model. The solution of the 4 equation low-Re-number-k-epsilon-<(theta(2))over bar>-epsilon(theta) model predicts very well the local Nusselt number along the plate height as well as the velocity and the temperature field near the wall when compared with the experiments. Then the partial differential equation for the heat function is numerically solved to show the true path of heat flow in the buoyancy-driven turbulent flow field near a heated vertical plate.