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Heat transfer in turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection within two immiscible fluid layers

We numerically investigate turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection within two immiscible fluid layers, aiming to understand how the layer thickness and fluid properties affect the heat transfer (characterized by the Nusselt number $Nu$) in two-layer systems. Both two- and three-dimensional simulations are performed at fixed global Rayleigh number $Ra=10^8$, Prandtl number $Pr=4.38$, and Weber number $We=5$. We vary the relative thickness of the upper layer between $0.01 \le α\le 0.99$ and the thermal conductivity coefficient ratio of the two liquids between $0.1 \le λ_k \le 10$. Two flow regimes are observed: In the first regime at $0.04\leα\le0.96$, convective flows appear in both layers and $Nu$ is not sensitive to $α$. In the second regime at $α\le0.02$ or $α\ge0.98$, convective flow only exists in the thicker layer, while the thinner one is dominated by pure conduction. In this regime, $Nu$ is sensitive to $α$. To predict $Nu$ in the system in which the two layers are separated by a unique interface, we apply the Grossmann-Lohse theory for both individual layers and impose heat flux conservation at the interface. Without introducing any free parameter, the predictions for $Nu$ and for the temperature at the interface well agree with our numerical results and previous experimental data.