Electrothermoconvective instability in a heat generating dielectric fluid layer

The combined effects of vertical d.c. electric field and uniform internal heat generation on the onset of convection in a horizontal poorly conducting dielectric fluid layer heated uniformly from below are investigated. The Galerkin method is used to solve the resulting eigenvalue problem. Parametric study is conducted to know the effects of varying electric Rayleigh number, R-e and dimensionless heat source strength, N-s. It is found that these two parameters exhibit a dual effect on the onset of natural convection; a result noticed in contrast to their effects when they are acting in isolation. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.