Development of convection[edit source | editbeta]

Convection cells in a gravity field

The experimental set-up uses a layer of liquid, e.g. ater, bet een t o parallel planes. The height of the layer is small compared to the hori!ontal dimension. "t first, the temperature of the bottom plane is the same as the top plane. The liquid ill then tend to ards anequilibrium, here its temperature is the same as its surroundings. #$nce there, the liquid is perfectly uniform% to an observer it ould appear the same from any position. This equilibrium is also asymptotically stable% after a local, temporary perturbation of the outside temperature, it ill go bac& to its uniform state, in line ith the second la of thermodynamics'. Then, the temperature of the bottom plane is increased slightly yielding a flo of thermal energy conducted through the liquid. The system ill begin to have a structure of thermal conductivity% the temperature, and the density and pressure ith it, ill vary linearly bet een the bottom and top plane. " uniform linear gradient of temperature ill be established. #This system may be modelled by statistical mechanics'. $nce conduction is established, the microscopic random movement spontaneously becomes ordered on a macroscopic level, forming (enard convection cells, ith a characteristic correlation length.
What is a Benard cell and why do I need to know about it?
Chances are you have already seen the effect of (enard cells but did not understand hy it as there or ho you could overcome it. The effect can ta&e on a fe forms, but generally loo&s li&e lots of indentations of various si!e in a decorative coating. )t can appear in a clear or pigmented coating and some describe it as *hail damage+, ie the damage you ould see if your car as in a hail storm , lots of little dents. )n very basic terms, (enard cells are a function of a resin being in a liquid state and behaving li&e other liquids that are sub-ect to convection currents. " convection current is the pattern of flo that describes a liquid heating from the centre and rising, before cooling as it hits the sides.surface and sin&ing again. "s the resin starts to harden, this mushroom pattern eventually stops flo ing and hence you can end up ith a perfectly shaped indentation that ma&es the film loo& not-soperfect.

" schematic sho ing ho a (enard Cell develops and the effect it has on film components.