• 설비공학논문집
• /
• 제13권2호
• /
• pp.88-95
• /
• 2001

Transition to chaotic convection is investigated for natural convection of a fluid with Pr=0.1 in a wide-gap horizontal annuls. The unsteady two-dimensional stream-function-vorticity equation is solved with finite difference method. As the Rayleigh number is increased, the steady 'downward flow' bifurcates to a time-periodic flow with a fundamental frequency, and afterwards a period-doubling bifurcation occurs. As the Rayleigh number is increased further, the chaotic flow regime is reached after a sequence of successive Hopf bifurcation to quasi-periodic and chaotic flow regimes. The route to chaos shows the Ruelle-Takens-Newhouse scenario. The flow of chaotic regime displays complex coalescence and separation of eddies in the side and lower region of the annulus.