https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2003-00264-6
Turbulent thermal convection in a closed domain: viscous boundary layer and mean flow effects
Politecnico di Bari, DIMeG and CEMeC, Via Re David 200, 70125, Bari, Italia
Corresponding author: a verzicco@poliba.it
Received:
7
March
2003
Published online:
22
September
2003
In this paper the effects of viscous boundary layers and mean flow structures
on the heat transfer of a flow in a slender cylindrical cell are analysed using
the direct numerical simulation of the Navier–Stokes equations with the
Boussinesq approximation. Ideal flows are produced by suppressing the viscous
boundary layers and by artificially enforcing the flow axisymmetry with the aim
of checking some proposed explanations for the Nusselt number dependence on
the Rayleigh number. The emerging picture suggests that, in this slender geometry,the presence of the viscous boundary layers does not have appreciable impact
on the slope of the Nu vs. Ra relation while a transition of the mean flow
is most likely the reason for the slope increase observed around 
.
PACS: 47.27.Te – Convection turbulent flows / 47.32.-y – Fluid flow buoyant / 44.25.+f – Heat transfer convective
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2003
