%0 Journal Article %A Mebrouki, A. %A Zineddine, Alloui %A Vasseur, Patrick %D 2019 %I Begell House %K natural convection, internal heat generation, feedback control, discrete controllers %N 5 %P 387-400 %R 10.1615/ComputThermalScien.2019026046 %T EFFECTS OF DISCRETE CONTROLLERS ON THE STABILIZATION OF NATURAL CONVECTION INDUCED BY INTERNAL HEAT GENERATION IN A SHALLOW CAVITY %U https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/648192910890cd0e,33377f64567d0c2d,7bce8f915996fd4d.html %V 11 %X The stabilization of natural convection in a horizontal fluid layer with internal heat generation is studied numerically. The horizontal boundaries of the system are cooled isothermally. The system is stabilized using multiple sensors and discrete individually controlled actuators that modify the local intensity of the heating power. Discrete controllers of finite length and spacing are located on the horizontal boundaries of the system. The thermal sensors are positioned at a given vertical height of the fluid layer. Upon using a feedback proportional control, the heating power of the system is modulated in order to postpone the onset of motion or annihilate the intensity of convection. Two-dimensional numerical simulations of the full governing equations are carried out. The results are used to determine the influence of the governing parameters, such as the length and spacing of the actuators, positions of the thermal sensors, and control gain on the control of the system. A correlation equation is proposed to predict the critical length of the actuators, above which the no-motion state cannot be maintained in the layer, as a function of the Rayleigh number. %8 2019-10-21