VELOCITY-MEASUREMENTS IN 2 NATURAL-CONVECTION AIR-FLOWS USING A LASER VELOCIMETER

Velocities in two laminar free convection air flow fields were measured using a laser velocimeter. Velocities were first measured in the boundary layer around a heated vertical flat plate and results compare within two percent of theoretical and previous experimental (streah photography) data. Second, velocities were measured throughout a two-dimensional triangular enclosure, which consisted of two isothermal side walls (one heated and one cooled), an insulated bottom, and glass end plates. Enclosure data are compared to simple inclined isothermal plate data and are also presented so that the flow patterns can be observed. © 1979 by ASME.