The Study of Three-Dimensional Fluid Flow Regimes on the Basis of the Exact Solution to the Convection Equations

Abstract

We consider the evaporation/condensation process of diffusion type in two-layer fluid flows under the assumption that both viscous heat-conducting incompressible fluids, a liquid and a gas-vapor mixture, have a common interface and occupy an infinite threedimensional rectangular channel. Based on the exact solution to the convection equations, we study the fluid flows arising in the case of a linearly distributed thermal load on the substrate and thermal insulation of the upper and lateral walls of the channel. It is observed that some complex vortex structures are formed under the action of the longitudinal temperature gradient and transversely directed gravity field. For the ethanol–nitrogen system we present the characteristics of hydrodynamic, thermal, and concentration fields, in particular, the profiles of the evaporative mass flow rates and interface tangential stresses, the topology of flows, and the temperature and vapor concentration distributions.