Effect of an electric field on the stability of convective flow in a vertical layer

Abstract

The effect of such factors as the electrization of the fluid and the action of an electric field on the stability of the flow in a vertical layer is investigated numerically. Volume electrization of a nonuniformly heated weakly conducting fluid with a linear dependence of conductivity on temperature is used as a model for describing the electrical effects. The influence of electrical factors is taken into account by means of two parameters — the electrical Prandtl and Grashof numbers (Pe and Ge, respectively). For small Pe low values of Ge correspond to stabilization of the flow expressed as an increase in the critical Grashof numberG. However, as Ge increases, stabilization is replaced by destabilization and the criticalG decreases to zero as Ge increases without bound. As Pe increases, the initial stabilization may disappear, but the nature of the destabilization at large values of Ge remains unchanged. The actual form of the dependence of the criticalG on Ge is determined not only by the value of Pe but also by the Prandtl numberP.