A numerical simulation of double-diffusive conjugate natural convection in an enclosure

Transient thermosolutal convection in a cubical enclosure having finite thickness walls filled with air, submitted to temperature and concentration gradients, is studied numerically. In the first series of numerical simulations, the influence of Rayleigh number on fluid motion and heat and mass transfer (N = 1, Ra = 10(4)-10(5)) is analyzed. The second series deals with the effect of the dimensionless time (N = 1, Ra = 5 x 10(4), tau = 1-100). In the third series the influence of the conductivity ratio on heat and mass transfer (N = 1, Ra = 10(5), k(fs) = 0.037, 0.0037) is investigated. The fourth series deals with the effect of the mass source sizes on the heat and mass transfer regimes. Comprehensive Nusselt and Sherwood numbers data are presented as functions of the governing parameters mentioned above. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.