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Zero-gravity convection in a closed duct as the realization of a thermal machine

Piero Olla

physics.flu-dynarXiv:2608.21052

Abstract

The possibility of convection in a wall-heated unstirred simple fluid in zero-gravity conditions is discussed. It is shown that a low-Prandtl-number fluid possesses a stable circulating state in zero gravity, without destabilization of the diffusive state, provided geometric inhomogeneity allows the thermal cycle to perform net mechanical work. The analysis provides a quantitative explanation of why purely volumetric effects cannot induce by themselves convection in conventional fluids under zero-gravity conditions.

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