Author(s)

Julien Yovogan, Gérard Degan, Latif Fagbemi

Laboratoire d’Energétique et de Mécanique Appliquées (LEMA), Ecole Polytechnique d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin.

An analytical investigation is conducted to study the effect of magnetic field on convection heat transfer through packed porous beds which consists of a horizontal fluid layer (river bed) and a porous zone with anisotropic permeability and underlined by a surface heated by a constant temperature T1. The free surface of the fluid layer overlying the horizontal porous layer receives solar rays to length of day and is then considered heated isothermally at temperature T2 such as T1 < T2. Flow in porous medium is assumed to be governed by the generalized Brinkman-extended Darcy law and in the fluid layer by the Navier-Stokes model. The Beavers-Joseph condition is applied at the interface between the two layers. The influence of Hartmann number and hydrodynamic anisotropy on the convective phenomenon is investigated analytically. It is found that the magnetic field, the anisotropic permeability and the thickness of the porous lining, ε, have a strong influence of the geothermal convective flow and the heat transfer rate.

Hartmann Number, Hydrodynamic Anisotropy, Convection Heat Transfer

Yovogan, J. , Degan, G. and Fagbemi, L. (2018) Effect of Constant Magnetic Field on Convective Heat Transfer through Anisotropic River Beds. Journal of Crystallization Process and Technology, 8, 57-71. doi: 10.4236/jcpt.2018.82004.