Darcy–Brinkman Flow Through a Corrugated Channel

A perturbation analysis is carried out to the second order to give effective equations for Darcy–Brinkman flow through a porous channel with slightly corrugated walls. The flow is either parallel or normal to the corrugations, and the corrugations of the two walls are either in phase or half-period out of phase. The present study is based on the assumptions that the corrugations are periodic sinusoidal waves of small amplitude, and the channel is filled with a sparse porous medium so that the flow can be described by the Darcy–Brinkman model, which approaches the Darcian or Stokes flow limits for small or large permeability of the medium. The Reynolds number is also assumed to be so low that the nonlinear inertia can be ignored. The effects of the corrugations on the flow are examined, quantitatively and qualitatively, as functions of the flow direction, the phase difference, and the wavelength of the corrugations, as well as the permeability of the channel. It is found that the corrugations will have greater effects when it is nearer the Stokes’ flow limit than the Darcian flow limit, and when the wavelength is shorter. For the same wavelength and phase difference, cross flow is more affected than longitudinal flow by the corrugations. Opposite effects can result from 180° out-of-phase corrugations, depending on the flow direction, the wavelength, as well as the permeability.     

Study of steady viscous flow through a wavy channel: non-orthogonal coordinates

In this paper we consider the steady flow of a viscous fluid through a channel bounded by two sinusoidally varying plates differing in phase by π and separated by a mean distance 2h. For the non-varying channel, the classical parabolic velocity profile for the fully developed flow is well known. An attempt here is made to analyze the flow in a generalized non-orthogonal coordinate system that renders the wavy channels as plane walls. Continuity equation and Navier-Stokes equations are presented in the generalized coordinate system and simplified through use of small perturbation under small Reynolds number approximation. Flow characteristics such as centerline velocity and drag force have been evaluated and discussed.     

Peristaltic motion of an Oldroyd‐B fluid in a channel with compliant walls

This paper is an analysis of the peristaltic flow of an Oldroyd‐B fluid in a channel with compliant walls. The flow is induced by the sinusoidal waves on the channel walls. A series solution of the resulting boundary value problem is derived under small amplitude assumption. Emphasis is placed on determining the effects of various interesting flow parameters. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of wavy structured surfaces and large scale polymer structures on drag reduction

Drag reduction was studied for turbulent flow over a structured wall that contained 600 sinusoidal waves with a wavelength of 5 mm and an amplitude of 0.25 mm. A concentrated solution of a co-polymer of polyacrylamide and sodium acrylate was injected into the flow through wall slots. Laser Doppler velocimetry was used to measure turbulence. A fluorescence technique was developed that enabled us to demonstrate the existence, under certain circumstances, of large gelatinous structures in the injected polymer solution and in the flow channel.At maximum drag reduction, the Reynolds shear stress was zero and the velocity field was the same as found for a smooth surface. Larger drag reductions could be realized for a wavy wall because the initial drag was larger. The influences of polymers on the turbulent fields are similar for smooth and wavy boundaries. These results are of interest since the interaction with the wall can be quite different for water flow over smooth and wavy boundaries (which are characterized as being completely rough). An important effect of polymers is a decreasing relative importance of high frequency fluctuations with increasing drag reduction that is characterized by a cut-off frequency. This cut-off is the same for smooth and wavy walls at maximum drag reduction. The sensitivity of drag reduction to the method of preparing and delivering the polymer solution suggests that aggregation of polymers could be playing an important role for the system that was studied. For example, drag reduction was enhanced when large polymer structures are present.     

Numerical study of turbulent flows over wavy boundaries

The fully developed turbulent flows over wavy boundaries are investigated by means of thek-ε model. Predicted flow characteristics over rigid wavy walls are in good agreement with the vailable experimental data. Moreover drag reduction has been found in a 2-dimensional channel with periodical wavy walls. The energy input from turbulent wind to regular waves is also studied in the paper by the same turbulence model with carefully posed boundary conditions at wind-wave interface. Better agreement has been obtained in the predication of the growth rates of wind waves as compared with the previous theoretical and numerical results. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

Thermocapillary flows in a three-layer system with a temperature gradient along the interfaces

The nonlinear stability of three superposed liquid layers bounded by two solid planes and subjected to a temperature gradient, directed along the interfaces, is investigated. The periodic boundary conditions on the lateral walls are considered. The nonlinear simulations of the wavy convective regimes are performed by the finite-difference method.     

Non-linear dynamics and pattern formation in a vertical fluid layer heated from the side

We study both experimentally and numerically the convective flow in a tall vertical slot with differently heated walls. The flow is investigated for the fluid with the Prandtl number Pr=26, which is large enough to ensure the traveling waves as primary instability and small enough to prevent boundary layer convection. The flow evolution is determined on the base of the visual observations, power spectra and amplitude analysis. In the numerical simulations of two- and three-dimensional flows, we accept an assumption of an infinite fluid layer. The satisfactory agreement with experiment is observed, and the sequence of convection states is discovered. It starts with a plane-parallel flow as primary solution, which becomes unstable to two counter-propagating waves. It is followed by a tertiary three-dimensional flow in the form of wavy traveling waves. As the Grashof number is increased even further, a chaotically oscillating cellular pattern consisting of the pieces of broken waves arises. The formation of a structure in the form of the vertical rolls chaotically modulated along axes concludes this complicated picture.     

On the flow behaviour of confined finite-length wavy cylinders

Confined aspect-ratio of 6 wavy cylinders with a mean blockage-ratio of 0.5 were studied using time-resolved particle-image velocimetry at a sub-critical Reynolds number of 2700. Wavelengths and wave amplitudes of 2–4 and 0.1–0.3 mean diameters respectively were investigated. Results show that vortices are generally shed from the wavy cylinder and channel walls regularly, reminiscent of the unsteady symmetric flow configuration in confined non-wavy cylinders. Furthermore, vortex formation lengths for confined wavy cylinders are generally shorter than their unconfined counterparts, though their variations with respect to geometrical changes remain consistent with unconfined flow conditions. Gross cross-stream flow behaviour does not differ significantly between confined and unconfined wavy cylinders, indicating that finite-length effects are independent of the present confinement. Confined wavy cylinder wake regions are more sensitive towards geometrical changes and a combination of small wavelength and large wave amplitude leads to significant suppression of coherent cylinder and wall vortex-shedding. This is supported by phase-averaged flow reconstructions derived from Proper Orthogonal Decomposition analysis. Lastly, larger wave amplitudes lead to redistributions of dominant flow energy further downstream and to higher mode numbers, which suggests a causal link to the formation of stronger and more coherent streamwise vortices.     

Experiments on the linear instability of flow in a wavy channel

The effects of wall corrugation on the stability of wall-bounded shear flows have been examined experimentally in plane channel flows. One of the channel walls has been modified by introduction of the wavy wall model with the amplitude of 4% of the channel half height and the wave number of 1.02. The experiment is focused on the two-dimensional travelling wave instability and the results are compared with the theory [J.M. Floryan, Two-dimensional instability of flow in a rough channel, Phys. Fluids 17 (2005) 044101 (also: Rept. ESFD-1/2003, Dept. of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, 2003)]. It is shown that the flow is destabilized by the wall corrugation at subcritical Reynolds numbers below 5772, as predicted by the theory. For the present corrugation geometry, the critical Reynolds number is decreased down to about 4000. The spatial growth rates, the disturbance wave numbers and the distribution of disturbance amplitude measured over such wavy wall also agree well with the theoretical results.     

Investigation of the Relative Motion of a Viscous Fluid and a Porous Medium Using the Brinkman Equations

Exact solutions are obtained for the following three problems in which the Brinkman filtration equations are used: laminar fluid flow between parallel plane walls, one of which is rigid while the other is a plane layer of saturated porous medium, motion of a plane porous layer between parallel layers of viscous fluid, and laminar fluid flow in a cylindrical channel bounded by an annular porous layer.     

Mass transfer enhancement in a sinusoidal wavy channel for pulsatile flow

We report experimental work on mass transfer enhancement through pulsatile flow in an asymmetric channel under the laminar flow condition. Mass transfer experiments were carried out by the electrochemical method. The vortices dynamics were visualized both experimentally and numerically. The present results were compared with previous ones in the case of a symmetric channel with the same sinusoidal wavy walls. The mass transport enhancement factor for the asymmetric channel is found to be larger than that for the symmetric channel, for a wide range of flow parameters. This is a consequence of the specific fluid mixing induced by vortices dynamics. It is also confirmed that the Sherwood number for pulsatile flow can be expressed in terms of the Sherwood numbers for steady and oscillatory flows at large amplitude of fluid oscillation, for both channels.     

Scalar transport from a point source in flows over wavy walls

Simultaneous measurements of the velocity and concentration field in fully developed turbulent flows over a wavy wall are described. The concentration field originates from a low-momentum plume of a passive tracer. PLIF and digital particle image velocimetry are used to make spatially resolved measurements of the structure of the scalar distribution and the velocity. The measurements are performed at three different Reynolds numbers of Re _b = 5,600, Re _b = 11,200 and Re _b = 22,400, respectively, based on the bulk velocity u _b and the total channel height 2h. The velocity field and the scalar field are investigated in a water channel with an aspect ratio of 12:1, where the bottom wall of the test section consists of a train of sinusoidal waves. The wavy wall is characterized by the amplitude to wavelength ratio α = 0.05 and the ratio β between the wave amplitude and the half channel height where β = 0.1. The scalar is released from a point source at the wave crest. For the concentration measurements, Rhodamine B is used as tracer dye. At low to moderate Reynolds number, the flow field is characterized through a recirculation zone which develops after the wave crest. The recirculation zone induces high intensities of the fluctuations of the streamwise velocity and wall-normal velocity. Furthermore, large-scale structures are apparent in the flow field. In previous investigations it has been shown that these large-scale structures meander laterally in flows over wavy bottom walls. The investigations show a strong effect of the wavy bottom wall on the scalar mixing. In the vicinity of the source, the scalar is transported by packets of fluid with a high scalar concentration. As they move downstream, these packets disintegrate into filament-like structures which are subject to strong gradients between the filaments and the surrounding fluid. The lateral scale of the turbulent plume is smaller than the lateral scale of the large-scale structures in the flow field and the plume dispersion is dominated by the structures in the flow field. Due to the lateral meandering of the large-scale structures of the flow field, also the scalar plume meanders laterally. Compared to turbulent plumes in plane channel flows, the wavy bottom wall enhances the mixing effect of the turbulent flow and the spreading rate of the scalar plume is increased.     

Internal wave structure in a three-layer fluid with a stratified middle layer

The behavior of internal waves in a vertically bounded channel differs considerably from the wave motion in an infinite stratified fluid. In [1] the phase structure of the internal waves in an exponentially stratified layer of fluid between rigid horizontal planes was experimentally and theoretically investigated. A characteristic feature of such a channel is the boundedness of the phase and group velocities of each mode. Below, the case of an exponentially stratified channel between layers of homogeneous unbounded fluid is considered.In conclusion, the authors wish to thank A. T. Onufriev for his interest in their work.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 128–132, May–June, 1987.     

Visual observations of the flow around a half-submerged oscillating circular cylinder

Visual observations are made on the flow around a horizontal circular cylinder which is half-submerged in still water and forced to oscillate vertically. The ends of the cylinder have great influence on the wave pattern and flow field. Progressive plane waves are generated at small forcing amplitudes, but cross-waves are superimposed on the progressive plane waves at large forcing amplitudes. The wavelength of the cross-waves in the direction parallel to the cylinder axis increases with the forcing amplitude. The crests of the cross-waves are in parallel lines which are oblique to the cylinder axis. The angle at which the parallel lines meet the cylinder axis decreases as the forcing amplitude is increased. Three kinds of steady flows are induced in the water: surface flow, undersurface flow, and vertical jet.     

Mathematical modeling and numerical computation of the effective interfacial conditions for Stokes flow on an arbitrarily rough solid surface

Applied Mathematics and Mechanics - The present work is concerned with a two-dimensional (2D) Stokes flow through a channel bounded by two parallel solid walls. The distance between the walls may...     

Fluid flow and heat transfer in a two-dimensional wavy channel

A numerical study is presented for the laminar fully developed flow and heat transfer in a two-dimensional wavy channel. The effects of the geometry, Reynolds and Prandtl number on the flow field and heat transfer are investigated. The channel is characterized by a wavy wall, heated at uniform heat flux, and an opposite wall, being plane and adiabatic. The extent of the wall waviness and the distance between the channel walls are found to significantly affect the streamlines contours as well as the heat transfer coefficients. Comparisons with the straight channel, in the same flow rate and heat transfer conditions, have been performed. Pressure drop of the wavy channel is found to be always larger than the value characteristic of a straight channel, while heat transfer performance decreases or increases depending on the values of the parameters (geometry, Reynolds and Prandtl numbers).     

Single Fiber Transport in a Fracture Slit: Influence of the Wall Roughness and of the Fiber Flexibility

The transport of fibers by a fluid flow is investigated in transparent channels modeling rock fractures: the experiments use flexible polyester thread (mean diameter 280 μm) and water or a water–polymer solution. For a channel with smooth parallel walls and a mean aperture ā = 0.65 mm, both fiber segments of length ℓ = 20–150 mm and “continuous” fibers longer than the channel length have been used: in both the cases, the velocity of the fibers and its variation with distance could be accounted for while neglecting friction with the walls. For rough self-affine walls and a continuous gradient of the local mean aperture transverse to the flow, transport of the fibers by a water flow is only possible in the region of larger aperture (ā ≲ 1.1 mm) and is of “stop and go” type at low velocities. With the polymer solution, the fibers move faster and more continuously in high aperture regions and their interaction with the walls is reduced; fiber transport becomes also possible in narrower regions where irreversible pinning occurred for water. In a third rough model with parallel walls and a low mean aperture ā = 0.65 mm, fiber transport is only possible with the water–polymer solution. The dynamics of fiber deformations and entanglement during pinning–depinning events and permanent pinning is analyzed.     

Propagation of Perturbations in Plane Poiseuille Flow between Walls of Nonuniform Compliance

The evolution of small perturbations in longitudinally nonuniform flows is studied with reference to the problem of the propagation of flow perturbations in a plane channel with walls of variable elasticity. Using the solution of the problem of the receptivity of the flow to local vibrations of the walls, the problem considered can be reduced to the solution of an integral equation for a single function, namely, the complex vibration amplitude of the walls. A numerical method for solving this equation on the basis of a piecewise-linear approximation of the unknown function is proposed. It is shown that the instability wave amplitude changes discontinuously at the junction of the rigid and elastic channel sections. A second method of investigating the process of propagation of perturbations in the flow considered is proposed. This method is based on laws of evolution of perturbations in nonuniform flows and an analytic solution of the problem of perturbation scattering on the junction of walls with different compliance. On the basis of this method the classical stability theory is generalized to include the case of nonuniform flows.     

Streamwise vibrations of a plate in a viscous fluid flow in a channel,induced by forced transverse vibrations of the plate

Aeroelastic vibrations of a plate aligned at a zero angle of attack in a viscous incompressible fluid flow in a channel with parallel walls are considered within the framework of a plane model. Forced vibrations of the plate in the transverse direction give rise an unsteady component of the flow friction force, induced by the perturbation of the fluid flow velocity by the vibrating plate. Under the assumption of the laminar character of the fluid flow, it is demonstrated that this force can excite streamwise vibrations of the plate if the channel width is small as compared with the plate length; these streamwise vibrations have the same order as the transverse vibrations of the plate excited by external forces.     

Slow two-phase flow through a sinusoidal channel

The two-phase flow through a symmetric sinusoidal channel is studied by means of a regular perturbation analysis, where the small parameter is defined as the ratio between the amplitude of variation of the channel wall and the average thickness of the non-wetting phase. Results are valid for Reynolds numbers of the same order of magnitude as that of the expansion parameter. It is thus found that the fluid-fluid interface presents a wavy shape characterized by an amplitude and a phase-shift with respect to the fixed solid-fluid interface. Instabilities of the two-phase flow can arise for large values of the viscosity, flow rate and phase thickness ratios. Results are expected to be a first step towards the understanding of the hydrodynamics of trickle bed reactors, where several flow regimes are possible.