THE EFFECTS OF SHARP CORNERS ON BUOYANCY-DRIVEN FLOWS WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON OUTER BOUNDARIES

The effects of sharp corners and the far field boundary conditions on vorticity generation and flow instabilities are discussed. The importance of the far field boundary conditions and the interaction between the controlling variables are discussed and an in-depth analysis of the fluid flow and vortex interaction in the open-ended cavity is presented. The formation of a thermally stratified region and its role in influencing the thermal instabilities is discussed. The transient behavior of the flow field through the formation of vortices and the opposing interactions of the buoyant and suction mechanisms leading to an oscillating central vortex and overshooting and oscillations in the heat transfer process are analyzed. Finally, the effects of the geometric and thermophysical parameters as well as the influence of the Rayleigh number and different temperature levels are thoroughly explored. © 1990.