Turbulence

Nusselt number

Annulus (botany)

Rayleigh–Bénard convection

Materials science

Reynolds number

Rayleigh number

Natural convection

Prandtl number

Geology

Paleontology

Thermodynamics

Physics

Concentric

Mathematics

Flow (mathematics)

Grashof number

Natural (archaeology)

Geometry

Composite material

Mechanics

Convection

Numerical Heat Transfer Part A Applications

Abstract Two-dimensional natural convection of a fluid of low Prandtl number (Pr = 0.02) in an annulus between two concentric horizontal cylinders is numerically investigated in a wide range of gap widths. For low Grashof numbers, a steady unicellular convection is obtained. Above a transition Grashof number that depends on the gap width, a steady bicellular flow occurs. With further increase of the Grashof number, steady or time-periodic multicellular convection occurs, and finally, complex unsteady convective flow appears. A plot is presented that predicts the type of flow patterns for various combinations of gap widths and Grashof numbers. Additional informationNotes on contributorsMoon-Uhn KimAddress correspondence to Moon-Uhn Kim, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 373-1, Kudsong-dong, Yusung-gu, Taejon 305-701, Korea.

MULTICELLULAR NATURAL CONVECTION OF A LOW PRANDTL NUMBER FLUID BETWEEN HORIZONTAL CONCENTRIC CYLINDERS