Numerical study of steady/unsteady flow and heat transfer in porous media using a characteristics-based matrix-free implicit FV method on unstructured grids

In this study, a high-resolution characteristic-based finite-volume (FV) method on unstructured grids [Int. J. Numer. Method Eng. 50 (2001) 11; Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow 21 (2000) 432] is extended by a matrix-free implicit dual-time stepping scheme for the numerical simulation of steady and unsteady flow and heat transfer with porous media. The method has been used to study the characteristics of a complex problem: flow and heat transfer in a channel with multiple discrete porous blocks, which was originally proposed by Huang and Vafai [J. Thermophys. Heat Transfer 8 (3) (1994) 563]. In addition, flow and heat transfer in a channel partially or fully filled with porous layers and containing solid protruding blocks with constant heat flux on its lower surface are also investigated in details. Hydrodynamic and heat transfer results are reported for both steady and transient flow cases. In particular, the effects of Darcy and Reynolds numbers on heat transfer augmentation and pressure loss are studied. An in-depth discussion of the formation and variation of recirculation is presented and the existence of optimum porous insert is demonstrated. At high Reynolds numbers the flow in the porous channel exhibits a cyclic characteristics although unlike the non-porous channel flow, the cyclic vortex development is only restricted to a small area behind the last solid block, while temperature changes more slowly and does not exhibit cyclic variations over a long period of time. It is shown that for all the cases studied altering some parametric values can have significant and interesting effects on both flow pattern as well as heat transfer characteristics.