Optimal design with EGM approach in conjugate natural convection with surface radiation in a two-dimensional enclosure

TL;DR

This paper investigates the optimal placement of heat sources in a 2D enclosure with natural convection and surface radiation, using entropy generation minimization and conventional heat transfer parameters.

Contribution

It introduces an EGM-based method to optimize heat source location considering conjugate natural convection and surface radiation effects.

Findings

Optimal heat source location depends on Rayleigh number and emissivity.

Entropy generation minimization identifies different optimal locations than conventional parameters.

Surface radiation significantly influences heat transfer and entropy generation.

Abstract

Analysis of conjugate natural convection with surface radiation in a two-dimensional enclosure is carried out in order to search the optimal location of the heat source with entropy generation minimization (EGM) approach and conventional heat transfer parameters. The air as an incompressible fluid and transparent media is considered the fluid filling the enclosure with the steady and laminar regime. The enclosure internal surfaces are also gray, opaque and diffuse. The governing equations with stream function and vorticity formulation are solved using finite difference approach. Results include the effect of Rayleigh number and emissivity on the dimensionless average rate of entropy generation and its optimum location. The optimum location search with conventional heat transfer parameters including maximum temperature and Nusselt numbers are also examined.