In this study, we numerically investigate the evolution of two-dimensional mixing and heat transfer enhancement within a two-rod stirring device. The fluid is heated by the walls, which are maintained at a constant temperature. We show by analysis of different stirring protocols that the use of discontinuous wall rotations is necessary to promote heat transfer by chaotic mixing. This condition is also required to avoid hot spots in the vicinity of the walls. The statistics of temperature scalars (mean and standard deviation of dimensionless temperature fields) allow us to determine the influence of geometrical and physical parameters on mixing and heating performance. Thermal strange eigenmodes are revealed during the mixing process by the development of complex recurrent patterns, and the self-similar character of temperature evolutions is confirmed by the probability distribution functions of the rescaled non-dimensional temperature. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.