J. M. Barry

Bio: J. M. Barry is an academic researcher from Australian Atomic Energy Commission. The author has contributed to research in topics: Porous medium & Rayleigh number. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 152 citations.

Natural convection in enclosed porous media with rectangular boundaries

Abstract: Numerical methods are used to solve the field equations for heat transfer in a porous medium filled with gas and bounded by plane rectangular surfaces at different temperatures. The results are presented in terms of theoretical streamlines and isotherms. From these the relative increases in heat transfer rate, corresponding to natural convection, are obtained as functions of 3- dimensionless parameters: the Darcy number Da, the Rayleigh number Ra, and a geometric aspect ratio L/D. A possible correlation using the lumped parameter Da Ra is proposed for Da Ra greater than about 40. (33 refs.)

Heat Transfer in Geothermal Systems

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the mathematical formulation of the problems of convective heat transfer in geothermal systems. Geothermal reservoirs may have numerous near-vertical faults and relatively impermeable intrusive interspersed in the aquifers. Both theoretical and experimental investigations of heat transfer in geothermal systems are reviewed. A qualitative understanding of the large-scale convection processes in a geothermal reservoir and the prediction of reservoir behavior under production can be obtained by idealizing it as a saturated porous medium. The identification of a viable geothermal reservoir and the estimation of its capacity remain major problems in the utilization of geothermal resources. Thermal anomalies in geothermal areas can be detected by surface manifestations, aerial infrared surveys, geochemical analyses, or exploratory drillings. Many of the analyses are applicable to a wide range of engineering problems whenever they can be idealized as convection in a porous medium. These include the problems of the secondary recovery of oil by thermal methods, the use of fibrous materials for thermal insulations, the design of aquifers as an energy storage system, and the deposition of mineral ore in the subsurface formation. Results from short-duration well testing are used to determine reservoir characteristics.

Convection in a porous cavity

Abstract: Convection in a porous cavity driven by heating in the horizontal is analysed by a number of different techniques which yield a fairly complete description of the two-dimensional solutions. The solutions are governed by two dimensionless parameters: the Darcy-Rayleigh number R and the cavity aspect ratio A. We first find solutions valid for shallow cavities, A → 0, by using matched asymptotic expansions. These solutions are given up to O(A6R4). For A fixed, we find regular expansions in R by semi-numerical techniques, up to O(R30) in some cases. Series-improvement techniques then enable us to cover the range 0 ≤ R ≤ ∞. A limited result regarding bifurcations is noted. Finally, for R → ∞ with A fixed, we propose a self-consistent boundary-layer theory which extends previous approximate work. The results obtained by these different methods of solution are in good agreement with each other and with experiments.