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A boundary-layer analysis of Rayleigh-Bénard convection at large Rayleigh number

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 April 2006

Javier Jimenez
Affiliation:
IBM Scientific Centre, Paseo Castellana 4, 28046 Madrid, Spain
Juan A. Zufiria
Affiliation:
School of Aeronautics, Universidad Politécnica, 28040 Madrid, Spain Present address: Applied Mathematics Department, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.

Abstract

A boundary-layer analysis is presented for the two-dimensional nonlinear convection of an infinite-Prandtl-number fluid in a rectangular enclosure, in the limit of large Rayleigh numbers. Particular emphasis is given to the analysis of the periodic boundary layers, and on the removal of the singularities that appear near the corners of the cell. It is argued that this later step is necessary to ensure the correctness of the boundary-layer assumptions. Numerical values are obtained for the heat transfer and stress characteristics of the flow.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1987 Cambridge University Press

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