Modelling of the mixed convection in a lid-driven cavity with a constant heat flux boundary condition

In this paper steady state two-dimensional mixed convection heat transfer problem in a lid-driven cavity heated via an uniformly distributed heat flux on the bottom wall is investigated numerically. The lid moves with constant velocity and is kept at low constant temperature, between two ideally thermally insulated vertical walls. A wide range of Prandtl Pr and Richardson Ri number is examined to study their effects on heat transfer rate and fluid flow. Governing parameters are 0.001 ≤ Ri ≤ 1.0 and 0.71 ≤ Pr ≤ 56.00. Grashof number Gr is fixed at 104. The results are presented in the form of isotherms and streamlines plots. Also, local and mean Nusselt number are depicted on charts. Numerical values of the surface averaged Nusselt number are also presented. Results show that increase of Prandtl number strongly influences enhancement of heat transfer rate and that decreasing of Richardson number increases surface averaged Nusselt number. Mechanisms responsible for intensification of heat transfer are identified and physical explanation of this phenomenon are also given.