Fully developed mixed convection and flow reversal in a vertical rectangular duct with uniform wall heat flux

Combined forced and free flow in a vertical rectangular duct is investigated for laminar and fully developed regime. The velocity field, the temperature field, the friction factor and the Nusselt number are evaluated analytically by employing finite Fourier transforms. The thermal boundary condition considered is an axially uniform wall heat flux and a peripherally uniform wall temperature, i.e. an HI boundary condition. The necessary and sufficient condition for the onset of flow reversal is determined either in the case of upward flow in a cooled duct or in the case of downward flow in a heated duct. The special case of free convection, i.e. the case of a purely buoyancy-driven flow, is discussed. The occurrence of effects of pre-heating or pre-cooling in the fluid is analysed. It is pointed out that although these effects occur in rectangular ducts, they are not present either in circular ducts or in parallel-plate channels. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved