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Stability of a temporally evolving natural convection boundary layer on an isothermal wall

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2019

Junhao Ke Open the ORCID record for Junhao Ke [Opens in a new window] ,
N. Williamson Open the ORCID record for N. Williamson [Opens in a new window] ,
S. W. Armfield Open the ORCID record for S. W. Armfield [Opens in a new window] ,
G. D. McBain Open the ORCID record for G. D. McBain [Opens in a new window]  and
S. E. Norris Open the ORCID record for S. E. Norris [Opens in a new window]
Junhao Ke*
Affiliation:
School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
N. Williamson
Affiliation:
School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
S. W. Armfield
Affiliation:
School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
G. D. McBain
Affiliation:
Memjet North Ryde Pty Ltd, Macquarie Park, New South Wales, 2113, Australia
S. E. Norris
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
*
†Email address for correspondence: [email protected]
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Abstract

The stability properties of a natural convection boundary layer adjacent to an isothermally heated vertical wall, with Prandtl number 0.71, are numerically investigated in the configuration of a temporally evolving parallel flow. The instantaneous linear stability of the flow is first investigated by solving the eigenvalue problem with a quasi-steady assumption, whereby the unsteady base flow is frozen in time. Temporal responses of the discrete perturbation modes are numerically obtained by solving the two-dimensional linearized disturbance equations using a ‘frozen’ base flow as an initial-value problem at various $Gr_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}}$, where $Gr_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}}$ is the Grashof number based on the velocity integral boundary layer thickness $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}$. The resultant amplification rates of the discrete modes are compared with the quasi-steady eigenvalue analysis, and both two-dimensional and three-dimensional direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the temporally evolving flow. The amplification rate predicted by the linear theory compares well with the result of direct numerical simulation up to a transition point. The extent of the linear regime where the perturbations linearly interact with the base flow is thus identified. The value of the transition $Gr_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}}$, according to the three-dimensional DNS results, is dependent on the initial perturbation amplitude. Beyond the transition point, the DNS results diverge from the linear stability predictions as nonlinear mechanisms become important.

JFM classification

Boundary Layers: Boundary layer stability Instability: Absolute/convective instability
Type
JFM Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 877 , 25 October 2019 , pp. 1163 - 1185
Copyright
© 2019 Cambridge University Press 

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