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A study of instability in free convection from an inclined plate

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Summary

The results of an experimental study of the stability of boundary layer free convection from an inclined plane surface are presented. In particular, the relative contributions of hydrodynamic and thermal effects are investigated. It is demonstrated that thermal effects, through surface inclinations, are increasingly significant as the surface departs further from the vertical position and that positive and negative inclinations do not produce equal and opposite effects.

The instability phenomenon was observed with a schlieren apparatus and found to be wave-like. The corresponding characteristics of wavelength, frequency etc., were measured at selected inclinations using thermocouple probes. The effect of inclination on these characteristics is shown to be moderate. The variation in the stability limit of the neutral stability curves is also calculated.

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Author notes

  1. G. R. Pond

    Present address: the Faculty of Engineering, Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    G. S. H. Lock, C. Gort & G. R. Pond

Authors
  1. G. S. H. Lock
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  2. C. Gort
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  3. G. R. Pond
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Lock, G.S.H., Gort, C. & Pond, G.R. A study of instability in free convection from an inclined plate. Appl. Sci. Res. 18, 171–182 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00382345

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00382345

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