EFFECTS OF WETTED WALLS ON LAMINAR NATURAL-CONVECTION BETWEEN VERTICAL PARALLEL PLATES WITH ASYMMETRIC HEATING

A numerical analysis is carried out to investigate the effect of latent heat transfer, in association with the evaporation or condensation of the water vapor on the wetted channel walls which are under asymmetric heating, on the natural convection heat transfer. Major nondimensional groups identified are GrT, GrM, Pr and Sc. Results for Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are specifically presented for an air-water system under various heating conditions to illustrate latent heat transfer during the evaporation and condensation processes. The effects of the channel length and wetted wall temperatures on the momentum, heat and mass transfer are examined in great detail. © 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers.