Power laws of high Rayleigh number convection

Abstract

Previous theoretical and observational investigations have shown that vertical plumes are formed in the high Rayleigh number convection field over heated horizontal surfaces and that these plumes become unsteady and turbulent when the Rayleigh number is higher than about 20 times its critical value Rc. Based on these results, we conclude that the dissipation of kinetic energy takes place mainly in the surface boundary layer in high Rayleigh number laminar convection and mainly in the vertical plumes in turbulent convection, while the conversion of eddy potential energy into kinetic energy is accomplished mainly in the well-mixed main body of the fluid. On making use of these rather general conclusions concerning the kinetic energy generation and dissipation processes in the energy integrals, we are able to derive the well known 5/4 and 4/3 power laws of upward heat transfer by laminar and turbulent convections theoretically.