Convective heat transfer in an annular fluid layer with centrifugal force field

The present study deals with two‐dimensional convective motion due to the effect of a centrifugal force field on a fluid contained between two horizontal concentric cylinders, for the particular case of an adiabatic inner boundary (zero heat flux) and a constant heat flux imposed on the outer boundary. The normal terrestrial gravity is considered negligible. Governing equations for a two‐dimensional flow field are solved using analytical and numerical techniques. Based on a concentric flow approximation, the analytical solution is obtained in terms of the Rayleigh number and the radius ratio. The numerical solution is based on a finite difference method. Results indicate that the flow field always consists of two symmetrical cells at incipient convection even at radius ratios near unity. A good agreement is found between the analytical and numerical solutions at finite amplitude convection.