Rayleigh-Bénard Convection of Non-Newtonian Power-Law Fluids with Temperature-Dependent Viscosity.

Two-dimensional steady-state Rayleigh-Bénard convection of thermodependent power-law fluids confined in a square cavity, heated from the bottom and cooled on the top with uniform heat fluxes, has been conducted numerically using a finite difference technique. The effects of the governing parameters, which are the Pearson number (0 = m = 10), the flow behaviour index (0.6 = n = 1.4), and the Rayleigh number (0 < Ra = 105), on the flow onset, flow structure, and heat transfer have been examined. The heatlines concept has been used to explain the heat transfer deterioration due to temperature-dependent viscosity effect that m expresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]