Characteristics of temperature field in a closed cavity with centrifugal acceleration

A closed temperature chamber with multiple distributed heat sources, used in a multi-parameter combined environmental test, was presented. Coupling effects in it between centrifugal acceleration and temperature fields were studied. Fluid governing equations in non-inertial coordinate system were given. Flow and temperature fields of the air in the closed centrifugal cavity was analyzed. Numerical simulation was done by the FLUENT software and corresponding experiments were carried out. The results show that thermal buoyancy, centrifugal buoyancy and Coriolis force affect the temperature distribution obviously, and the temperature distributions differ as the magnitude of centrifugal acceleration changes. Non-uniformity of the air temperature increases with the magnitude of centrifugal acceleration. Moreover, the convective heat transfer is enhanced by the centrifugal acceleration. This study will provide theoretical basis for the multi-parameter combined environmental test concerned with centrifugal acceleration and temperature.