Surface and buoyancy driven free convection

Abstract

A system of two interfacing immiscible fluids subject to an imposed temperature difference in a gravity field is considered. The fluids, the gravity level, the temperature difference and the extension of the interface are arbitrary. An order of magnitude analysis is applied to determine: (i) the types of flow regimes that can be attained in natural, Marangoni or combined free convection; (ii) how the problem's data identify which type of free convection and of flow regime prevails in each specific case. © 1982.