Non-symmetric convective flows in laterally heated rectangular cavities

Bifurcations of central symmetry breaking and stability of nonsymmetric sta tes of buoyancy-driven convection in laterally heated cavities are studied numerically. The calculations are carried out using two independent numeric al approaches. Stability and weakly nonlinear analysis of the calculated bi furcations are studied by the spectral Galerkin method. Time-marching calcu lations are carried out using the finite volume method. By applying two ind ependent numerical approaches the subcritical steady flows, their stability , the transitions between different states and flows at small and large sup ercriticalities are comprehensively investigated. It is shown how these num erical techniques can be applied for interpreting a particular experimental result.