Influence of variable permeability on combined free and forced convection about inclined surfaces in porous media

Abstract

The analysis is carried out for mixed convection about inclined surfaces in a saturated porous media incorporating the variation of permeability and thermal conductivity due to packing of particles. Similarity solutions are obtained, for two cases, namely (i) uniform wall temperature, (ii) linear variation of temperature with distance from the leading edge, for both aiding and opposing flows. It is found that the nondimensional parameters Gr/Re/sup2 and σ/sup2/Re control the flow. The variation of permeability increases heat transfer rate for all values of σ/sup2/Re. Applications to convective flow in a liquid dominated geothermal reservoir are discussed. Criteria are given for flows which are purely forced, purely free and mixed.