Horizontal Wave Number Dependence of Type II Solutions in Rayleigh?Benard Convection with Hexagonal Planform

Abstract

The horizontal wave number dependence of the hexagonal planform solutions for the RayleighBenard convection problem, which have a nonzero vertical component of vorticity (type II solutions), has been established. Over the range of wave numbers which support cellular convection, comparisons between the thermal transport characteristics of these cyclonic type solutions and those traditionally obtained from nonlinear investigations of the single horizontal mode equations (type I solutions) have been made. From the numerical results obtained, it is found that the cell aspect ratio which maximizes the heat flux of type II solutions is larger than that for type I solutions, at quivalent parameter values, and that the value of the horizontal wave number giving maximum Nusselt number for type II solutions increases with Rayleigh number and decreases with Prandtl number.