Heat transfer study of double diffusive natural convection in a two-dimensional enclosure at different aspect ratios and thermal Grashof number during the physical vapor transport of mercurous bromide (Hg2Br2): Part I. Heat transfer

A computational study of combined thermal and solutal convection (double diffusive convection) in a sealed crystal growth reactor is presented, based on a two-dimensional numerical analysis of the nonlinear and strongly coupled partial differential equations and their associated boundary conditions. The average Nusselt numbers for the source regions are greater than those at the crystal regions for 9.73 × 10³ ≤ Gr_t ≤ 6.22 × 10⁵. The average Nusselt numbers for the source regions varies linearly and increases directly with the thermal Grashof number form 9.73 × 10³ ≤ Gr_t ≤ 6.22 × 10⁵ for aspect ratio, Ar (transport length-to-width) = 1 and 2. Additionally, the average Nusselt numbers for the crystal regions at Ar = 1 are much greater than those at Ar = 2. Also, the occurrence of one unicellular flow structure is caused by both the thermal and solutal convection, which is inherent during the physical vapor transport of Hg₂Br₂. When the aspect ratio of the enclosure increases, the fluid movement is hindered and results in the decrease of thermal buoyancy force.