The finite‐difference computation of natural convection in a rectangular enclosure

Abstract

Abstract A study is made of the natural convection of a fluid contained in a long horizontal enclosure of rectangular cross section with one vertical wall heated and the other cooled. Two‐dimensional motion is assumed. The governing vorticity and energy transport equations are solved by an implicit alternating direction finite‐difference method. Transient and steady state isothermals and streamlines are obtained for Grashof numbers up to 100,000 and for height‐to‐width ratios of 1, 2, and 3.