Experimental investigation of helicoidal rolls in an advective flow over a hot horizontal surface

A digital tracer technique is applied to reconstruct the velocity fields in a convective flow developing in a rectangular cavity filled with a layer of fluid and having a bottom consisting of two heat exchangers kept at different temperatures. The upper boundary of the fluid is free. The structure of the secondary flows in the form of streamwise helicoidal rolls generated in the boundary layer over a hot plate is studied. It is shown that the centers of roll rotation coincide with temperature minima in the boundary layer, while the roll shape and dimensions vary with the distance from the temperature jump. With increase in the temperature difference the roll dimensions decrease but the velocity of their rotation increases.