Effects of Heat and Mass Transfer on Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

Abstract

The effect on the interfacial gravity wave between two fluids is studied when there is a temperature gradient in the fluids. It is found that the thermal effect is closely related to the phase transformation across the interface. The interfacial conditions with mass flow are first derived. Then the dispersion relation for the interfacial wave is obtained. It is found that the effect of evaporation is to damp the interfacial wave and to enhance the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. It is also found that the system will be stabilized or destabilized depending on whether the vapor is hotter or colder than the liquid.