Rayleigh--Bénard convection in strong vertical magnetic field: flow structure and verification of numerical method

R. Akhmedagaev¹ - O. Zikanov¹ - D. Krasnov² - J. Schumacher²

¹ University of Michigan -- Dearborn, Dearborn, USA
² Technische Universität Ilmenau, Ilmenau, Germany

Abstract
Direct numerical simulations are performed to study turbulent Rayleigh--Bénard convection in a vertical cylindrical cavity exposed to a uniform axial magnetic field. Flows at high Hartmann and Rayleigh numbers are considered. The calculations reveal that, similarly to the behavior observed in Rayleigh--Bénard convection with strong rotation, flows under a strong magnetic field develop a central vortex, whereas the heat transfer is suppressed. Figs 6, Refs 19.