Experimental study of turbulent natural convection in a tall air cavity

This article describes an experimental study of turbulent natural convection in an air cavity with an aspect ratio of 28.6. The study provides data for the velocities and temperatures ata Rayleigh number based on cavity width of 0.83 x 10(6) which is useful in validating computational and theoretical results. A laser Doppler anemometer was used for velocity measurements, while fine thermocouples were used for temperature measurements. Heat transfer rates and heat losses from the cell are evaluated. Further, the experimental data in the central portion of the tall cavity have been averaged to simulate an antisymmetric, Boussinesq, fully developed flow in an infinitely tall air cavity. Causes of asymmetry of the data, including radiation absorption, are also assessed.