Rayleigh-Marangoni-Benard instability in two-layer fluid system

Rayleigh-Marangoni-Benard instability in a system of two-layer fluids is studied numerically. The convective instabilities in the system of Silicon Oil (10cSt) and Fluorinert (FC70) liquids have been analyzed. The critical parameters at onset of convection are presented in a large range of two-layer depth ratios from 0.2 to 5.0. Numerical results show that the instability of the two-layer system depends strongly on its depth ratio. When the depth ratio increases, the instability mode changes from mechanical coupling to thermal coupling. Between these two typical coupling modes, a time-dependent oscillation is detected. Nevertheless, traveling wave states are found in the case of oscillatory instability. The oscillation mode results from the competition between Rayleigh instability and Marangoni effect.