Numerical Investigation of Rotating Convection in a New Configuration with Bidirectional Thermal Gradients

Abstract

Novel laboratory experiments are configured to study convective dynamics and heat transport characteristics in a non-homogeneously heated rotating annulus. The bidirectional temperature gradients are obtained by imposing a constant cold temperature on inner wall and a constant high temperature along the periphery at the bottom using an aluminium strip of width, h = 5 mm. OpenFOAM simulations are carried out to study convective dynamics in the above-mentioned configuration in a 2D axisymmetric plane to mimic a r − z plane of the real experimental set-up. The parameter range for simulation is Ra = $3.11\times {10}^{8}$ and Ta = 0–1.06 × 10⁸. Temperatures on outer and inner walls are kept as 302 K and 292 K, respectively. The working fluid is water with a Prandtl number, Pr = 7. Vertical temperature profiles show decreasing impact of thermal forcing with increasing elevation. OpenFOAM simulation combined with experimentally obtained thermal results indicates coexistence and interplay of thermal plumes and baroclinic waves.