The influence of thermal dispersion on the initiation of convective instability in Prats flow through a low permeability porous medium

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of thermal dispersion on the onset of convective thermal instability in a fluid-saturated porous medium. A horizontal throughflow is considered along the layer, which is bounded by two uniformly heated horizontal rigid impermeable walls from above and below. The two walls are maintained at a constant temperature gradient, which is responsible for the buoyancy to occur and thus making the convection happen. Considering thermal dispersion, we have examined how it affects the natural convective instability occurring due to the thermal buoyancy. This paper proposes an entirely new perspective on the accountability of thermal dispersion in the convective instability. The consideration of Prats flow causes the instability in monotonic and oscillatory modes, where in some of the cases, the convection initiates in the oscillatory modes.