Natural Convection Heat Transfer Between Eccentric Horizontal Cylinders

Laminar natural convection flow between vertically eccentric horizontal cylinders is studied numerically. The inner and outer cylinders are heated and cooled, respectively, to maintain constant surface temperatures. A physical model is introduced which accounts for the effects of fluid buoyancy as well as the eccentricity of the outer cylinder. A radial transformation is used to map the eccentric outer boundary into a concentric circle. Both eccentricity and buoyancy have a significant influence on the heat transfer and flow field of a fluid between horizontal cylinders. The effect of buoyancy, which enhances average heat transfer, increases with the Grashof number. Eccentricity influences the flow in two ways. First, by decreasing the distance between the two cylinders over part of their surfaces, it increases the local heat transfer due to conduction. Second, the eccentricity influences the connective mode of heat transfer. Results show that moderate positive values of eccentricity, enhance convective heat transfer. Results for a range of Grashof number are given, for varying eccentricity, for a radius ratio of 2.6 and a Prandtl number of 0. 706. Detailed predictions of the temperature and flow fields, and local heat transfer rates are given for representative cases. Also presented is the variation of average heat transfer rate and average shear stress with Grashof number and eccentricity. Comparisons with earlier numerical, experimental and analytic results are made.