Numerical prediction of the turbulent forced heat convection in a two-dimensional driven cavity flow

Turbulent flow and associated heat transfer in driven two-dimensional closed cavity flow has been studied using a finite-difference numerical method. Turbulence modeling is based on one point closures derived from the classical turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate model. Calculated mean velocity and turbulent kinetic energy are compared with available experimental data, and the model is shown to successfully predict global quantities despite limitations. The problem of forced heat convection with fixed wall temperature is considered, and mean temperature field and overall thermal properties of the cavity flow are studied. Numerically deduced correlations giving Nusselt numbers for each face of the cavity as a function of Reynolds number, sum up the mean transfer properties of such a flow configuration. The study has applications to the problem of cooling of turbomachine rotors.