a b s t r a c tThe problem of fully-developed laminar free-convection flow in a vertical channel is studied analytically with one region filled with micropolar fluid and the other region with a viscous fluid. Using the boundary and interface conditions proposed by previous investigators, analytical expressions for linear velocity, micro-rotation velocity and temperature have been obtained. Numerical results are presented graphically for the distribution of velocity, micro-rotation velocity and temperature fields for varying physical parameters such as the ratio of Grashof number to Reynolds number, viscosity ratio, width ratio, conductivity ratio and micropolar fluid material parameter. It is found that the effect of the micropolar fluid material parameter suppress the velocity whereas it enhances the micro-rotation velocity. The effect of the ratio of Grashof number to Reynolds number is found to enhance both the linear velocity and the micro-rotation velocity. The effects of the width ratio and the conductivity ratio are found to enhance the temperature distribution.

A numerical study of mixed convection in a vertical channel filled with a porous medium including the effect of inertial forces is studied by taking into account the effect of viscous and Darcy dissipations. The flow is modeled using the BrinkmanForchheimer-extended Darcy equations. The two boundaries are considered as isothermalisothermal, isoflux-isothermal and isothermal-isoflux for the left and right walls of the channel and kept either at equal or at different temperatures. The governing equations are solved numerically by finite difference method with Southwell-Over-Relaxation technique for extended Darcy model and analytically using perturbation series method for Darcian model. The velocity and temperature fields are obtained for various porous parameter, inertia effect, product of Brinkman number and Grashof number and the ratio of Grashof number and Reynolds number for equal and different wall temperatures. Nusselt number at the walls is also determined for three types of thermal boundary conditions. The viscous dissipation enhances the flow reversal in the case of downward flow while it counters the flow in the case of upward flow. The Darcy and inertial drag terms suppress the flow. It is found that analytical and numerical solutions agree very well for the Darcian model.

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