• 대한기계학회논문집B
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.433-441
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• 2001

Natural convection of a fluid with intermediate Prand시 number of Pr=0.2 in a horizontal annulus is considered, and the bifurcation phenomena and chaotic flows are numerically investigated. The unsteady two-dimensional streamfunction-vorticity equation is solved with finite difference method. The steady downward flow with two counter-rotating eddies bifurcates to a simple periodic flow with a fundamental frequency. And afterwards, second Hopf bifurcation occurs, and a quasi-periodic flow with two incommensurable frequencies appears. However, a new time-periodic flow is established after experiencing quasi-periodic states. As Rayleigh number is increased further, the chaotic flow regime is reached after a sequence of successive Hopf bifurcation to quasi-periodic and chaotic flow regimes. A scenario similar to the Ruelle-Takens-Newhouse scenario of the onset of chaos is observed.