Temperature Fields

Abstract

A system of rigorous numerical solutions of the temperature fields of laminar water mixed convection on a vertical flat plate is obtained with variation of the local mixed convection parameter $Mc_{x,\infty }$, fluid bulk temperature $t_{\infty }$ and wall temperature $t_{w}$ for consideration of variable physical properties. On this basis, a analysis is done for the effect of the fluid bulk temperature $t_{\infty }$ (or $Pr_{\infty }$), wall temperature $t_{w}$ (or $Pr_{w}$), and local mixed convection parameter $Mc_{x,\infty }$ on the temperature field. It is seen that although both fluid bulk temperature $t_{\infty }$ (i.e. decreasing $Pr_{\infty }$) and the wall temperature $t_{w}$ (i.e. decreasing $Pr_{w}$) influence the temperature field, the effect of the fluid bulk temperature $t_{\infty }$ is much stronger than that of the wall temperature $t_{w}$. It demonstrates the effect characteristics of variable physical properties on the temperature fields of mixed convection. In addition, with increasing the local mixed convection parameter $Mc_{x,\infty }$, the temperature gradient will increase due to the increase of the buoyancy force. It reflects the effect of buoyancy force on temperature fields and heat transfer of mixed convection. Since the coupled effect of variable physical properties is well considered and treated, the obtained temperature fields have theoretical and practical value for mixed convection.