Experimental and numerical studies of natural convection in a Hele-Shaw cell

The results of an experimental study are reported in which a Hele-Shaw cell was used to simulate natural convection flow in a homogeneous porous region subjected to a horizontal temperature gradients. Measured velocities and photographs of streamline patterns are compared with numerical predictions produced with the finite element computer program, MARIAH. Results of numerical simulations are also reported for Rayleigh-Benard convection in a bottom-heated, horizontal, porous layer. The numerical results are compared with the experimental Hele-Shaw cell results of Hartline and Lister. The comparison between these experimental and numerical studies provides some support for the qualification of MARIAH as a general prupose code for the description of natural convection in porous media at low Rayleigh numbers.