Prandtl number effects on mixed convection in a lid-driven porous cavity

Mixed convection in a lid-driven square cavity filled with a fluid saturated porous medium is studied numerically. The left and right vertical walls of the cavity are insulated, while both the top and bottom horizontal walls are kept at constant but different temperatures. The top horizontal wall is moving in its own plane at a constant speed, while all other walls are fixed. The governing equations are solved numerically by the finite volume method with the Semi Implicit Method for Pressure Linked Equation (SIMPLE) algorithm. Numerical solutions are obtained for a wide range of the Prandtl number. Detailed results are presented in the form of streamlines and isotherms. It is found that for low Prandtl numbers, conduction is dominates; as Prandtl number increases, mixed convection and forced convection dominate the temperature field.