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98<br />
The influence of the density maximum of water on free convection<br />
P. A. Mooney a, M. F. Cawley a<br />
The density of water is known to exhibit a maximum at a temperature of 3.98 oC at<br />
a pressure of one atmosphere. The presence of this anomalous property can be<br />
readily observed in the free convection of water at temperatures in the vicinity of the<br />
density maximum. A recent study of the convective flow in water near its density<br />
maximum shows that when water is cooled in a rectangular enclosure by subjecting it<br />
to a constant horizontal temperature gradient, the convective flow reverses its<br />
direction. During the reversal of the direction of flow, two counter rotating cells are<br />
observed and the transfer of heat through the fluid is considerable reduced.<br />
In this study free convection is investigated numerically and experimentally in a<br />
rectangular enclosure of water subjected to a horizontal temperature gradient. The<br />
temperature profiles at set points along the central horizontal axis through the<br />
enclosure are presented. The rate of heat transfer through the enclosure and some<br />
sample velocity field plots are also presented. The study shows that the rate of heat<br />
transfer through the enclosure reaches a minimum in the vicinity of the density<br />
maximum.<br />
aDepartment of Experimental Physics, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland.
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