Author(s)

M Benzeghiba & S Chikh

Abstract

The objective of this study is the analysis of heat and mass transfer characteristics and flow patterns, which develop in an annular cavity between a rotating inner cylinder and stationary outer one. A vertical saturated porous layer inserted in the enclosure divides the cavity in two fluid compartments. The interfaces between the fluid and porous medium are permeable, allowing the fluid to flow from one fluid region to another though the porous zone. The effects of fluid characteristics, centrifugal force, aspect ratio and thermo physical parameters of the porous filter on heat and mass transfer expressed by average Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are investigated and documented. The results show that the development of Taylor vortices is deeply damaged by decrease of permeability in the porous matrix and yields a reduction of Nusselt and Sherwood numbers. The definitions of primary and secondary flows, normal and anomalous modes should be therefore either revised or dropped out in interpreting the flow structures arising from an interaction between the centrifugal and Coriolis forces on one hand, and the boundary viscous force on the other.

Keywords