Abstract

Three-dimensional unsteady natural convection of cooling water inside a cubical cavity at Ra = 105 is investigated. The finite-volume method with the SIMPLE algorithm is used to solve the nonlinear coupled continuity, momentum, and energy equations. All physical water properties - density, viscosity, thermal conductivity, and specific heat - are allowed to change with temperature. The numerical results for the 3-D geometry show that the side effects are relevant in fluid mechanics and in heat transfer, with larger differences than with the 2-D predictions in the region where the density anomaly of water is important.