Experimental Validation Benchmark Data for Computational Fluid Dynamics of Mixed Convection on a Vertical Flat Plate

Model validation for computational fluid dynamics (CFD), where experimental data and model outputs are compared, is a key tool for assessing model uncertainty. In this work, mixed convection was studied experimentally for the purpose of providing validation data for CFD models with a high level of completeness. Experiments were performed in a facility built specifically for validation with a vertical, flat, heated wall. Data were acquired for both buoyancy-aided and buoyancy-opposed turbulent flows. Measured boundary conditions (BCs) include as-built geometry, inflow mean and fluctuating velocity profiles, and inflow and wall temperatures. Additionally, room air temperature, pressure, and relative humidity were measured to provide fluid properties. Measured system responses inside the flow domain include mean and fluctuating velocity profiles, temperature profiles, wall heat flux, and wall shear stress. All of these data are described in detail and provided in tabulated format.