Road to Chaotic Natural Convection in a Square Enclosure from a Constant Partially Heated Walls and Internal Heat Source

Abstract

In the present paper, natural convection behavior in a square enclosure, occupied with air, has been examined numerically. Horizontal walls are in an adiabatic state. The temperature in each vertical wall is distributed one on top of another wherein the two opposite half lower walls are hot and constant, whereas the upper half walls are cold. This study is mainly focused on the effect of Rayleigh number values on the flow regime in the cavity from a stable towards chaos. Equations governing the natural convection have been resolved by the finite difference method derivation. Obtained outcomes present a symmetric flow around a declined define axe with low values of Rayleigh number (less than 10⁵), at Ra_e=3x10⁵ the critical Rayleigh number is found by the loss of the symmetry and finally the chaos is reached at 1x10⁶. Some interesting results which are shown in terms of streamlines and isotherms are found and presented.