A distinct feature of Rayleigh-Benard(RB) convection is the existence of a self-organized large-scale circulatory flow(LSC), also known as the "mean wind" of turbulence. This thesis is an experimental investigation of this LSC by using the particle image velocimetry and multi-thermal probe method. We studied the various aspects of the LSC, including the azimuthal motion, the flow cessation and reversal and the reorientation of the LSC, in aspect ratio(Gamma) 1, 1/2 and 1/3 cells, where Gamma is the ratio between the diameter and the height of the cylindrical convection cells. Also studied in the thesis are the different flow modes and the flow mode transitions for these different geometries. / It is found in Gamma = 1 cells the azimuthal motion consists of erratic fluctuations and a time-periodic oscillation. While in Gamma = 1/2 cells, this kind of oscillation is missing. An intriguing dynamic feature of the LSC is the apparently erratic large orientational change of its nearly vertical circulation plane, which is called reorientation. The occurrence of the reorientations are both Poisson process for the Gamma = 1 and 1/2 geometries. We found that the azimuthal motion of LSC is more confined in larger Gamma geometry, and this property can be used to interpret the so-called bimodality of heat transport. / The reversal of the flow direction of the LSC in RB system resembles a lot of reversal phenomena and is the interest of several theoretical models. We found, in Gamma = 1/2 geometry, that there are an order of magnitude more cessations and reversals than that in Gamma = 1 geometry, which contrasts sharply to the finding in Gamma = 1 geometry. Thus in Gamma = 1/2 cells a statistically significant number of unambiguously identified pure reversal events are obtained, which allow us to analyze several important properties of pure reversal events. It is found that the occurrence of reversals is a Poisson process and that a stronger rebound of the flow strength after a reversal/cessation leads to a longer period of stability of the LSC. Several properties of reversals/cessations in this system are found to be statistically similar to those of geomagnetic reversals. / We found in all the aspect ratios explored(Gamma = 1, 1/2 and 1/3) both single circulating roll flow structure and two vertically stacked counter-rotating rolls structure exist. The average percentage of time that the flow spends in the single-roll mode (SRM) is decreasing with Gamma while that of the double-roll mode (DRM) is increasing with Gamma. Several routes of transitions among the different flow modes are identified. We also show direct evidence that the SRM is more efficient for heat transfer than the DRM. It is also found that the time interval between successive flow mode transitions has an exponential distribution, suggesting a Poisson process for the underlying dynamics. / Xi, Hengdong = 熱湍流中的大尺度環流 / 郗恒東. / "July 2007." / Adviser: Ke-Qing Xia. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-01, Section: B, page: 0386. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 144-153). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307. / Xi, Hengdong = Re tuan liu zhong de da chi du huan liu / Xi Hengdong.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:cuhk.edu.hk/oai:cuhk-dr:cuhk_343985 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Contributors | Xi, Hengdong., Chinese University of Hong Kong Graduate School. Division of Physics. |
| Source Sets | The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| Language | English, Chinese |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, theses |
| Format | electronic resource, microform, microfiche, 1 online resource (xix, 153 p. : ill.) |
| Rights | Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons “Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International” License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) |
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