Parallel Computations of Natural Convection Flow in a Tall Cavity Using an Explicit Finite Element Method

The Galerkin Finite Element Method was used to predict a natural convection flow in an enclosed cavity. The problem considered was a differentially heated, tall (8:1), rectangular cavity with a Rayleigh number of 3.4 x 10{sup 5} and Prandtl number of 0.71. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations were solved using a Boussinesq approximation for the buoyancy force. The algorithm was developed for efficient use on massively parallel computer systems. Emphasis was on time-accurate simulations. It was found that the average temperature and velocity values can be captured with a relatively coarse grid, while the oscillation amplitude and period appear to be grid sensitive and require a refined computation.