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High-Rayleigh-Number Convection in a Vertical Channel

M. Gibert, H. Pabiou, F. Chillà, and B. Castaing
Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 084501 – Published 28 February 2006
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Abstract

We measure the relation between convective heat flux and temperature gradient in a vertical channel filled with water, the average vertical mass flux being zero. Compared to the classical Rayleigh-Bénard case, this situation has the advantage of avoiding plates and, thus, their neighborhood, in which is usually concentrated most of the temperature gradient. Consequently, inertial processes should control the convection, with poor influence of the viscosity. This idea gives a good account of our observations, if we consider that a natural vertical length, different from the channel width, appears. Our results also suggest that heat fluxes can be deduced from velocity measurements in free convective flows. This confers to our results a wide range of applications.

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  • Received 22 August 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.084501

©2006 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

M. Gibert, H. Pabiou, F. Chillà, and B. Castaing

  • Laboratoire de Physique, CNRS UMR 5672, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d’Italie, 69364 Lyon Cedex 7, France

  • *Electronic address: Mathieu.Gibert@ens-lyon.fr

See Also

Off the Wall

Don Monroe
Phys. Rev. Focus 17, 9 (2006)

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Issue

Vol. 96, Iss. 8 — 3 March 2006

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