Formation of dissipative structures in a three-dimensional electro-thermo-convective flow

Kang Luo, Xue-Lin Gao, Xue-Rao He, Hong-Liang Yi, and Jian Wu
Phys. Rev. Fluids 7, 043701 – Published 11 April 2022

Abstract

Direct numerical simulations and linear stability analysis are performed to study the three-dimensional electro-thermo-convective (ETC) flow between two parallel plates under a simultaneously applied temperature difference and voltage. Entropy generation analysis and hexagonal pattern analysis are used to illustrate the transient evolution and stationary dissipative structures of an ETC flow. Numerical simulations with a large computational domain are first performed to reproduce the experimentally observed motion pattern under strong unipolar charge injection. The results show that an infinitesimal random perturbation first grows into a rolls pattern, then partially breaks up into polygons, and finally evolves into hexagons after a long period of transition. Linear stability analysis is conducted to obtain the stability criteria (electric Rayleigh number Tc and Rayleigh number Rac) and the critical wave number (kc) of the ETC flow, and these critical values are found to be consistent with the numerically obtained ones. In addition, it is found that the basic features of the numerically obtained ETC hexagonal flow pattern agree with those of the analytically derived cell pattern. By entropy generation analysis of ETC in a periodic region, it is found that the formation of the rolls pattern has a larger total entropy generation and a larger mean-square temperature gradient than the hexagon pattern, which means that the rolls pattern is more stable than the hexagon under this specific simulation condition.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
3 More
  • Received 11 January 2022
  • Accepted 28 March 2022

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.7.043701

©2022 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Fluid Dynamics

Authors & Affiliations

Kang Luo1,2, Xue-Lin Gao1,2, Xue-Rao He3, Hong-Liang Yi1,2,*, and Jian Wu1,2

  • 1School of Energy Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, People's Republic of China
  • 2Key Laboratory of Aerospace Thermophysics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, People's Republic of China
  • 3Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, 117575, Singapore

  • *Corresponding author: yihongliang@hit.edu.cn

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 7, Iss. 4 — April 2022

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Fluids

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×