HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER, vol.38, no.3, pp.271-278, 2002 (SCI-Expanded)
Mixed convection heat transfer in rectangular channels has been investigated experimentally under various operating conditions. The lower surface of the channel is subjected to a uniform heat flux, sidewalls are insulated and adiabatic, and the upper surface is exposed to the surrounding fluid. Experiments were conducted for Pr = 0.7, aspect ratios AR = 5 and 10, inclination angles 0degrees less than or equal to 0 less than or equal to 30degrees, Reynolds numbers 50 less than or equal to Re less than or equal to 1000, and modified Grashof numbers Gr* = 7.0 X 10(5) to 4.0 X 10(7). From the parametric study, local Nusselt number distributions were obtained and effects of channel inclination, surface heat flux and Reynolds number on the onset of instability were investigated. Results related to the buoyancy affected secondary flow and the onset of instability have been discussed. Some of the results obtained from the experimental measurements are also compared with the literature, and a good agreement was observed. The onset of instability was found to move upstream for increasing Grashof number and increasing aspect ratio. On the other hand, onset of instability was delayed for increasing Reynolds number and increasing inclination angle.