A NUMERICAL STUDY OF NATURAL-CONVECTION HEAT-TRANSFER IN A VERTICALLY ECCENTRIC SPHERICAL ANNULUS

The results of a numerical investigation of the natural convection process between isothermal vertically eccentric spheres with hotter inner core, are being presented. The Grashof and the Prandtl numbers have been kept constant at 4×104 and 10 respectively. Eccentricities varying from -0.75 to +0.75 have been studied. From the numerical solution, it is possible to explain the average results obtained previously for the regime where the steady crescent flow pattern exists. Negative eccentricities have been found to enhance convection while positive eccentricities have the reverse effect. Results also show that heat transfer actually increases slightly for very high positive eccentricities where conduction plays an important role.