Bifurcation of convention flows in a rectangular cavity subjected to univorm heat fluxes

A study is made of free convection flow in a horizontal rectangular cavity submitted to a uniform heat flux at the horizontal as well as vertical walls. As the flow under such heating condition is quasi-parallel, it is possible to derive an equation for the flow amplitude having the canonical form π3 - δπ - 9!R*/3843 = 0 where R* is the Rayleigh number based on the heat flux applied at the side walls and δ is the reduced Rayleigh number based on the heat flux applied at the horizontal boundaries. Based on this equation, various diagrams were constructed to show the unfolding of the well-known pitchfork bifurcation.