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

The energy method is developed for the convection problem induced by inclined thermal and solutal gradients, with horizontal mass flow, in a horizontal layer of a saturated porous medium. A non-linear stability analysis is performed 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 horizontal thermal or solutal gradient is to switch from stabilizing to destabilizing as their magnitude increases, for zero or small values of mass flow rate. For higher values of mass flow rate the effect is always destabilizing. It is also noted that the horizontal concentration gradient has a stronger destabilizing effect as compared to the horizontal temperature gradient.