Pattern selection in the thermal convection of non-Newtonian fluids

Abstract

The thermogravitational instability in a fluid layer of a non-Newtonian medium heated from below is investigated. Linear and weakly nonlinear analyses are successively presented. The fluid is assumed to obey the Carreau–Bird model. Although the critical threshold is the same as for a Newtonian fluid, it is found that non-Newtonian fluids can convect in the form of rolls, squares or hexagons, depending on the shear-thinning level. Similar to Newtonian fluids, shear-thickening fluids convect only in the form of rolls. The stability of the convective steady branches is carried out to determine under which specific conditions a pattern is preferred. The influence of the rheological and physical parameters is examined and discussed in detail.