Natural convection of fluids with two stratified layers in a rectangular enclosure

The heat transfer mechanism of a system of two stratified fluid layers which are directly in contact with each other in a rectangular enclosure will be quite different from that of the ordinary single fluid system. This is because of the complicated heat transfer mechanism at the boundary surface between the fluids. A few studies on Marangoni convection caused by boundary surface tension gradients or natural convection caused by the density gradients have been carried out by chemical engineers to clarify the break-up phenomenon of the interface caused by transfer of the active solute. But there are no studies reporting the heat transfer of a system with two stratified fluid layers. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of natural convection in a system with two stratified fluid layers without mass transfer at the interface. In addition, the effects of Marangoni convection on the natural convection were investigated. The study was carried out using numerical analysis techniques