Stability of natural convection in a vertical slot

Abstract

The stability of natural convection of a viscous fluid in a vertical slot having isothermal side walls of different temperatures is investigated analytically. Both the conduction and boundary-layer régimes are found to be unstable with respect to stationary disturbances in the form of multicellular secondary flows. Theoretical predictions of the critical Rayleigh number and of the form of the secondary flow are verified by experimental measurements.