Numerical study of the transition to chaos of a buoyant plume from a two-dimensional open cavity heated from below

The transition to a chaotic plume from a two-dimensional (2D) open cavity heated from below has been investigated using numerical simulation. A large range of Rayleigh numbers (Ra) pertaining to an aspect ratio of A = 1, and Prandtl number (Pr) of Pr = 0.71 (air) is numerically investigated. It is shown that there exists a complex transition of the plume from a steady reflection symmetry to a chaotic flow with a sequence of bifurcations. As the Rayleigh number increases, the plume from the open cavity undergoes a supercritical pitchfork bifurcation from a steady reflection symmetry to a steady reflection asymmetry flow. Once the Rayleigh number exceeds 7 × 103, the plume appears as a distinct flapping namely, a Hopf bifurcation, and then as a distinct puffing. The chaotic plume has the possibility to exhibit an alternate appearance of flapping and puffing in the event the Rayleigh number exceeds 8 × 104. Moreover, the dynamics of the plume from the open cavity is discussed, and the dependence on the Rayleigh number of heat and mass transfer of the plume from the open cavity is quantified.