Study on the formation of Goertler vortices in natural convection flow over a rotating concave surface

• Published in: Applied mathematics and computation Vol. 169; no. 2; pp. 778 - 796
• Main Authors: Lin, Ming-Han, Chen, Chin-Tai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 15.10.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Computational methods in fluid dynamics; Exact sciences and technology; Fluid dynamics; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Goertler vortices; Grashof number; Mathematical analysis; Mathematics; Natural convection; Partial differential equations; Physics; Rotation; Sciences and techniques of general use; Goertler vortices; Natural convection; Grashof number; Rotation; Rotating flow; Reynolds number; Buoyancy; Convection flow; Heat flow; Prandtl number; Concave surface; Applied mathematics; Centrifugal force; Grasnof number; Goertler vortex; Heat transfer; Boundary layer; Surface flow
• ISSN: 0096-3003; 1873-5649
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amc.2004.09.084

This paper presents a numerical study of the formation of Goertler vortices in natural convection flow over a concave surface with rotation. The onset position characterized by the Grashof number Gr δ r , depends on the rotational Reynolds number, the Prandtl number ( Pr = 0.7 for air) and the wave number. The buoyancy force and Coriolis force are found to significantly affect the flow structure and heat transfer. However, centrifugal force has minor stabilizing effect on the flow. Positive rotation stabilizes the boundary layer flow on the concave surface. On the contrary, negative rotation destabilizes the flow. The numerical data show reasonable agreement with the experimental results in the case of zero rotation.