Nonlinear convection induced by inclined thermal and solutal gradients with mass flow

The energy method is developed for the convection problem induced by inclin ed thermal and solutal gradients, with horizontal mass flow, in a horizonta l layer of a saturated porous medium. A non-linear stability analysis is pe rformed and compound matrix method is employed for numerical calculations. For representative parameter values the critical vertical thermal Rayleigh number and wave number are calculated. It is noted that the effect of horiz ontal thermal or solutal gradient is to switch from stabilizing to destabil izing as their magnitude increases, for zero or small values of mass flow r ate. For higher values of mass flow rate the effect is always destabilizing . It is also noted that the horizontal concentration gradient has a stronge r destabilizing effect as compared to the horizontal temperature gradient.