Numerical simulation of turbulent convection of air in a square cavity heated on the side

A set of three-dimensional unsteady-state equations is used, with the Rayleigh number of $1.58\times10^9$, to calculate the turbulent, statistically two-dimensional convection of air in a closed cavity with side walls heated to different temperatures. The turbulence is simulated using the equation of transfer of kinetic energy of turbulent motion, with the dissipation rate calculated differently in the vicinity of and away from the walls. The calculation results are compared with available data of experimental and numerical investigations of other authors. The possibilities are discussed of using this approach to predict averaged characteristics of free convection.