Rayleigh-Bénard convection (RBC) is a classical model for studying buoyancy-driven thermal transport in fluids. Traditional RBC systems assume a single-phase, inert working fluid, with heat transfer governed primarily by temperature gradients and fluid dynamics. However, recent theoretical and experimental advancements suggest that introducing reactive components into the working fluid can substantially modify the flow behavior and enhance the overall heat transfer performance.
This project investigates the influence of chemical reactions on the convective flow and heat transfer characteristics of RBC systems. In particular, we focus on working fluids undergoing endothermic and exothermic reactions that are reversible under operating conditions, such as dissociation-recombination processes. These reactions dynamically couple temperature, concentration, and density fields, introducing additional sources of buoyancy and heat transfer that are not present in conventional RBC systems.