Effect of a non-uniform basic temperature gradient on Rayleigh-Benard convection in a micropolar fluid
The qualitative effect of a non-uniform basic temperature gradient on the linear stability analysis of the Rayleigh-Benard convection in an Eringen's micropolar fluid is studied numerically using a single-term Galerkin technique. The eigenvalue is obtained for free-free, rigid-free, and rigid-rigid velocity boundary combinations with isothermal and adiabatic temperature conditions on the spin-vanishing boundaries. The eigenvalues are also obtained for lower rigid isothermal and upper free adiabatic boundaries with vanishing spin. The influence of various micropolar fluid parameters on the onset of stationary convection has been analysed. Six different basic temperature profiles are considered and their comparative influence on onset is discussed. It is observed that the Rayleigh number obtained is lower than that of the corresponding Newtonian fluid problem. Some important mechanisms of advancing or delaying convection are discussed. 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
International Journal of Engineering Science, Vol-36, No. 11, pp. 1183-1196.
Siddheshwar P.G., Department of Mathematics, Bangalore University, Central College Campus, Bangalore 560 001, India; Pranesh S., Department of Mathematics, Christ College, Bangalore 560 029, Hosur Road, India