Application of dissipative particle dynamics to natural convection in differentially heated enclosures

Dissipative particle dynamics with energy conservation (eDPD) was applied to study natural convection in differentially heated enclosures. The eDPD simulations were compared to finite volume (FV) solutions. It was found that the eDPD method appropriately predicts the temperature and flow fields inside the enclosure. The eDPD model was able to recover the basic features of natural convection in differentially heated enclosures, such as prediction of thermal boundary layers, prediction of the size and shape of the natural convection circulation cell (as a function of Rayleigh number) and breaking up of this circulation cell at higher Rayleigh numbers. The results were presented via temperature isotherms, streamlines, velocity contours, velocity vector plots, and temperature and velocity profiles throughout the enclosure. Complete details of eDPD implantations were presented. Further useful engineering quantities, such as Nusselt number, were calculated from the eDPD results and were found to be in good agreement with the volume FV calculations.