Flow over a porous structure in a square cavity: Effects of the porous structure size and porosity on the heat transfer performance and fluid pressure loss

A porous structure around a heat generating body improves the heat transfer rates and increases the fl ow resistance in the forced-convection regime. Consequently, investigation into the heat transfer performance and the fl uid pressure loss in the fl ow system employing a porous structure becomes essential. In the present study, the fl ow subjected to a porous structure around a heat generating body situated in a square cavity is considered. The eff ects of porosity and of the size of the porous structure on the heat transfer performance and fl ow resistance are examined. Air is used as a working fl uid in the cavity and the heat generation in the solid body is kept the same for all the cases simulated. A numerical scheme is introduced to solve the governing equilibrium equations for the fl ow and heat transfer. It is found that increasing porosity and size of the porous structure enhance the heat transfer performance parameter and the fl ow resistance coeffi cient in the cavity. However, the increase in the heat transfer performance parameter is larger than in the fl ow resistance coeffi cient for a large area porous structure at high porosity.