Numerical study of thermal convection in rotating channel flow

The effect of sidewall heating on pressure-driven laminar incompressible viscous flow stationary and spanwise-rotated rectangular channels of aspect ratio 8 is investigated by means of a numerical simulation, keeping the Reynolds number constant at 270. A finite-difference scheme is used to solve the time-dependent Navier-Stokes and energy and mass conservation equations, and the results are presented graphically. When heating is weak, the flow fields for stationary channels and moderate or rapid rotation resemble those for the corresponding isothermal cases, and a decrease in Rossby number leads to an increase in Nusselt number and net heat transport. When heating is moderate, significant changes are observed, and a decrease in Rossby number causes a reduction in Nusselt number.