Influence of heat generation/absorption on mixed convective flow in a lid-driven chamber with isothermal rotating cylinder

•Both Reynolds and Grashof numbers govern mixed convection in a lid-driven enclosure.•Internal heat absorption enhances overall heat transfer performance.•Lid velocity determines the performance of pure mixed convective heat transfer.•Internal heat generation/absorption has a negligible effect on the velocity field.•Isothermal rotating cylinder induces thermal shielding effect. The current study explores mixed convection heat transfer and internal heat generation in a lid-driven square chamber with an isothermal cylinder rotating in the middle. The top edge of the chamber moves continuously and maintains the ambient temperature, whereas the bottom edge is immobile and heated at a constant temperature. The cylinder rotates at a fixed velocity in the clockwise direction. Parametric simulation is carried out by adjusting Reynolds (31.623 to 316.23), Grashof (103 to 105), and Richardson numbers (0.1 to 10) as well as the internal heat generation coefficient (10, 0, −10) along with a fixed speed ratio of the rotating cylinder. The quantitative thermal performance measurements are evaluated in terms of average Nusselt number, normalized Nusselt number, average drag coefficient on the sliding lid, and average fluid temperature of the chamber. At the same time, illustrations of streamlines and isotherms plots represent the qualitative findings. The existing detailed data can be used to determine the best design of the controlling parameters.