Benchmark solutions for the natural convective heat transfer problem in a square cavity with large horizontal temperature differences

In this study, Benchmark solutions are derived for the problem of two‐dimensional laminar flow of air in a square cavity which is heated on the left, cooled on the right and insulated on the top and bottom boundaries. The temperature differences between the hot and cold walls are large. Neither Boussinesq nor low‐Mach number approximations of the Navier‐Stokes equations are used. The ideal‐gas law is used and the viscosity is given by Sutherland's law. A constant Prandtl number is assumed. The computational method is completely described by Vierendeels et al. Grid converged results with an accuracy of 4 up to 5 digits are obtained for different Rayleigh numbers and temperature differences.