%0 Journal Article %A Kholai, Omar %A Boudebous, Saadoun %A Nemouchi, Zoubir %A Rebay, Mourad %D 2010 %I Begell House %K mixed convection, numerical resolution, vertical channel, bifurcation %N 3 %P 313-323 %R 10.1615/HeatTransRes.v41.i3.80 %T Pitchfork Bifurcation of the Mixed Convection in a Vertical Channel %U https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/46784ef93dddff27,65dad0407c8ce877,4752c158671f36f1.html %V 41 %X The steady laminar mixed convection in a two-dimensional vertical channel with locally and symmetrically heated walls is studied numerically. The fluid flows downward through the channel. The walls are thermally insulated in the upstream part, maintained at a constant temperature in the heated middle part, and thermally insulated in the downstream part. The present contribution deals, in particular, with the bifurcation from a symmetric to an asymmetric solution in such opposed flow conditions. In fact, the symmetry breaking occurs at a value of the Richardson number of about 4.5. %8 2010-08-12