Natural convection over a vertical flat plate: A numerical and experimental investigation

Abstract

Numerical analysis has been carried out for 2D steady state laminar boundary layer during natural convection over a vertical flat plate subjected to constant heat flux and verified with experimental results. The experimental test section consists of a vertical flat plate having dimensions of 355 mm height and 177 mm width made from brass sheet. Temperatures of the heated plate wall and the adjacent heated air forming a boundary layer, is experimentally recorded at various locations under the heat flux of 250, 500, 750 and 1000 W/ m2 maintained on the plate surface. Numerical analysis for the constant wall temperature conditions have also been carried out for the purpose of validation. The governing boundary layer equations namely, continuity, momentum, and energy, are transformed into non-dimensional forms. The resulting non-linear system of partial differential equations are linearized and solved numerically by finite difference method together with Thomas Algorithms. The results of velocity contours, velocity flow lines, temperature contours, isotherms, velocity vectors, and streamlines have presented for the constant heat flux and constant wall temperature conditions.