Free convective heat transfer from a vertical channel with a baffle - a finite element analysis

Free convection heat transfer in a vertical channel with a baffle on one plate at different locations is analyzed with constant wall temperature boundary conditions, for a Rayleigh number range of 102 to 104. A finite element program has been developed with primitive variable formulation for the prediction of temperature and velocity distribution as well as the variation of average Nusselt number with Rayleigh number. The presence of a baffle of 50% the size of the channel spacing does not induce any flow separation after or before the baffle. A comparison of results with existing experimental results for similar configuration and numerical solutions for plane channel shows significant variation of average Nusselt number which is dependent on the baffle position as well as the cold wall temperature.