The uniqueness of the solution of boundary-value problems of a thermal model of discharge

The paper is devoted to a nonlinear analysis of superheating [1, 2] instability of an electric discharge stabilized by electrodes [3] in the framework of a thermal model [4] where the stability of the discharge relative to the long-wave and short-wave perturbations is proved in a linear approximation. Similar boundary-value problems arise in the theories of chemically and biologically reacting mixtures [5–7], thermal breakdown of dielectrics [8], thermal explosion [9], in the investigation of nonlinear waves in semiconductors and superconductors [10, 11], and in the investigation of Couette flow with variable viscosity [12]. The uniqueness of the one-dimensional steady solutions of the thermal model of discharge and the stability relative to the small spatial perturbations, respectively, for the exponential and step dependence of the electrical conductivity on the temperature are proved in [3, 13]. The uniqueness of the solutions in the one-dimensional case for the same electrode temperature and arbitrary dependences of the electrical and thermal conductivity on the temperature is established in paper [14]. In the present paper, the existence and uniqueness of steady solutions of the thermal model of discharge in a three-dimensional formulation for arbitrary fairly smooth electrical and thermal conductivity functions of the temperature in the case of isothermal isopotential electrodes are proved analytically.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 140–145, January–February, 1986.The author expresses his gratitude to A. G. Kulikovskii and A. A. Barmin for the formulation of the problem and their discussions.     

Nonlinear stability of two-dimensional steady flows of an ideal fluid with constant vorticity and their axisymmetric analogs

Flows with constant vorticity are widely used as local models of more complicated flows [1]. In many cases, such flows are stable against finite two-dimensional perturbations. In particular, the inviscid plane-parallel Couette flow has the property of nonlinear stability. Similar treatment of a class of axisymmetric flows yields nonlinear stability of a spherical Hill vortex and inviscid Poiseuille flow in a circular tube with respect to axisymmetric perturbations.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 6, pp. 16–21, October–December, 1981.     

Rayleigh stability of shear flow in relaxing media

The stability of steady-state flow is considered in a medium with a nonlocal coupling between pressure and density. The equations for perturbations in such a medium are derived in the linear approximation. The results of numerical integration are given for shear motion. The stability of parallel layered flow in an inviscid homogeneous fluid has been studied for a hundred years. The mathematics for investigating an inviscid instability has been developed, and it has been given a physical interpretation. The first important results in flow stability of an incompressible fluid were obtained in the papers of Helmholtz, Rayleigh, and Kelvin [1] in the last century. Heisenberg [2] worked on this problem in the 1920's, and a series of interesting papers by Tollmien [3] appeared subsequently. Apparently one of the first problems in the stability of a compressible fluid was solved by Landau [4]. The first investigations on the boundary-layer stability of an ideal gas were carried out by Lees and Lin [5], and Dunn and Lin [6]. Mention should be made of a series of papers which have appeared quite recently [7–9]. In all the papers mentioned flow stability is investigated in the framework of classical single-phase hydrodynamics. Meanwhile, in recent years, the processes by which perturbations propagate in media with relaxation have been intensively studied [10–12].Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 3, pp. 87–93, May–June, 1976.     

Effect of high-frequency vibration on the development of secondary convective conditions

An investigation is made of the development of convective flows of a viscous incompressible liquid, subjected to high-frequency vibration. The nonlinear equations of convection are used in the Boussinesq approximation, averaged in time. The amplitude of the perturbations is assumed to be small, but finite. For a horizontal layer with solid walls the existence of both subcritical and supercritical stable secondary conditions is established. In a linear statement, the problem of stability in the presence of a modulation has been discussed in [1–3]. Articles [4–6] were devoted to investigation of the nonlinear problem. In [4], the method of grids was used to study secondary conditions in a cavity of square cross section. In the case of a horizontal layer with free boundaries [5, 6], the character of the branching is established by the method of a small parameter.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 90–96, March–April, 1976.The authors thank I. B. Simonenko for his useful evaluation of the work.     

Nonlinear waves in a liquid film entrained by a turbulent gas stream

In the long-wavelength approximation and on the basis of a simplified system of equations analogous to the one considered by Shkadov and Nabil' [1, 2], an investigation is made into waves of finite amplitude in thin films of a viscous liquid on the walls of a channel in the presence of a turbulent gas stream. A bibliography on the linear stability of such plane-parallel flows can be found in [3–5]. The nonlinear stability is considered in [6]. A stationary periodic solution is sought in the form of a Fourier expansion whose coefficients are found near the upper curve of neutral stability by Newton's method and near the lower branch of the stability curve by the method of Petviashvili and Tsvelodub [7, 8].Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No, 2, pp. 37–42, March–April, 1981.I thank V. Ya. Shkadov for supervising the work and all the participants of G. I. Petrov's seminar for a helpful discussion.     

Finite-amplitude self-oscillations in a rotating Hagen-poiseuille flow

The nonlinear stability of a viscous incompressible flow in a circular pipe rotating about its own axis is investigated. A solution of the initial—boundary value problem for the unsteady three-dimensional Navier—Stokes equations is found by means of the Bubnov—Galerkin method [1–5]. A series of methodological investigations were made. The nonlinear evolution of the periodic self-oscillating regimes is studied, and their characteristic stabilization times, amplitudes, and other integral and fluctuational characteristics are found. The secondary instability of these finite-amplitude wave motions is examined. It is established that the secondary instability is initially weak and linear in character; the corresponding growth times are approximately an order greater than for the primary perturbations. There is the possibility of a sharp, explosive restructuring of the motion when the secondary perturbations reach a certain critical amplitude. A survival curve [5] is constructed, which makes it possible to determine the preferred perturbation, distinguishable from the rest if the initial perturbation amplitudes are equal, and the critical amplitude values starting from which the other perturbations may prevail even over the preferred one. The range of these surviving perturbations is obtained. It is shown that as a result of the non-linear interaction of several perturbations at low levels of supercritlcality periodic motion in the form of a single traveling wave is generated.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 22–28, July–August, 1985.     

Flow processes with change of regime in fractured reservoirs

Experimental and industrial observations indicate a strong nonlinear dependence of the parameters of the flow processes in a fractured reservoir on its state of stress. Two problems with change of boundary condition at the well — pressure recovery and transition from constant flow to fixed bottom pressure — are analyzed for such a reservoir. The latter problem may be formulated, for example, so as not to permit closure of the fractures in the bottom zone. For comparison, the cases of linear [1] and nonlinear [2] fractured porous media and a fractured medium [3] are considered, and solutions are obtained in a unified manner using the integral method described in [1]. Nonlinear elastic flow regimes were previously considered in [3–6], where the pressure recovery process was investigated in the linearized formulation. Problems involving a change of well operating regime were examined for a porous reservoir in [7].Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 67–73, May–June, 1991.     

Stability of nonplane-parallel three-dimensional jet flows

The problem of the stability of nonplane-parallel flows is one of the most difficult and least studied problems in the theory of hydrodynamic stability [1]. In contrast to the Heisenberg approximation [1], the basic state whose stability is investigated depends on several variables, and the stability problem reduces to the solution of an eigenvalue problem for partial differential equations in which the coefficients depend on several variables [2–7]. In the case of a periodic dependence of these coefficients on the time [2] or the spatial coordinates [3, 4], the analog of Floquet theory for the partial differential equations is constructed. With rare exceptions, the case of a nonperiodic dependence has usually been considered under the assumption of weak nonplane-parallelism, i.e., a fairly small deviation from the plane-parallel case has been assumed and the corresponding asymptotic expansions in the linear [6] and nonlinear [7] stability analyses considered. The present paper considers the case of an arbitrary dependence of the velocity profile of the basic flow on two spatial variables. The deviation from the plane-parallel case is not assumed to be small, and the corresponding eigenvalue problem for the partial differential equations is solved by means of the direct methods of [5], which were introduced for the first time and justified in the theory of hydrodynamic stability by Petrov [8].Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 21–28, May–June, 1987.     

The stability of steady regimes in an isothermal chemical flow reactor

One of the fundamental problems in the theory of chemical reactors is the determination of the number of steady regimes and their stability. The problem of the number of steady regimes has been considered in many studies, for example, in [1–4]. The stability of a steady regime is usually established from an analysis of the behavior of small perturbations. The corresponding linear boundary-value problem for perturbations has been studied mainly in the limiting cases of ideal mixing and ideal displacement. When account was taken of longitudinal mixing, the only criteria obtained were ones which imposed fairly severe restrictions on the parameters [5]. In the present study numerical analysis is used in order to investigate the stability of steady concentration distributions in an isothermal chemical flow reactor with longitudinal mixing in the case of a single chemical reaction. The eigenvalues were obtained for the Sturm-Liouville problem, which fully characterize the stability for several laws of variation of the chemical reaction rate as a function of the concentration. A knowledge of the eigenvalues is essential, for example, in order to construct the stabilization system proposed in [6] for the unsteady regime.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 179–182, March–April, 1985.     

Nonlinear capillary waves on a viscous fluid jet surface

Capillary instability of a fluid jet is one of the classical problems of hydrodynamics [1]. Studying it is of practical interest, particularly for the optimization of the ignition of a liquid propellant and the development of granulating apparatus in the chemical industry [2]. Until recently, the main attention has been paid to analyzing linear problems. Dispersion equations have been obtained for small perturbations of a jet surface with the viscosity of the external medium taken into account [3]. The construction of a theory of finite-amplitude waves on an ideal fluid jet surface was started in [4, 5]. Up to now this theory has achieved substantial results, as can be assessed by the successful numerical modeling of the dissociation of an inviscid fluid jet into drops [6] (see [7, 8] also). This paper is devoted to a discussion of the nonlinear development stage of viscous fluid jet instability under conditions allowing the influence of the surrounding medium and the gravity field to be neglected.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 179–182, March–April, 1977.The author is grateful to B. M. Konyukhov and G. D. Kuvatov for suggesting this problem and performing the experiment and to M. I. Rabinovich for useful discussions.     

On the nonlinear development of two-dimensional and three-dimensional perturbations in the presence of Rayleigh-Taylor instability

The nonlinear evolution of two-dimensional and three-dimensional perturbations of finite amplitude in the presence of Rayleigh-Taylor instability is investigated. It is assumed that the problem is one of potential flow. The solution is constructed by the Fourier method [1]. In the two-dimensional case the conformal mapping method [2, 3] is employed, which makes it possible to consider the strongly nonlinear stages of development of the perturbations, including the formation of surfaces with multiply valued dependence of the variables in Cartesian coordinates. The construction of the mappings reduces to the solution of the Hilbert problem, which is given in the form of Schwartz integrals [4]. Explicit expressions for these integrals [5], obtained with the aid of Fourier series, are employed. Effective computational algorithms are developed and a series of numerical investigations is carried out. Inter alia, a destabilizing effect of the short-wave components is detected, the regularizing action of the surface tension is demonstrated, and the characteristic times of nonlinear development of the perturbations and the characteristic spectral distributions are found. The role of three-dimensional effects, characterized by a decrease in the rate of development of perturbations, is investigated.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 38–46, March–April, 1985.In conclusion, the authors wish to express their deep gratitude to Yu. B. Rabinovich and S. L. Petrov whose research was used in compiling the calculation program and, moreover, Yu. M. Shtempler for discussing methodilogy and the numerical results.     

Stability of unsteady viscous flows

A study is made of the linear stability of plane-parallel unsteady flows of a viscous incompressible fluid: in the mixing layer of two flows, in a jet with constant flow rate, and near a wall suddenly set in motion [1]. The slow variation of these flows in time compared with the rate of change of the perturbations makes it possible to use the method of two-scale expansions [2]. The stability of nonparallel flows with allowance for their slow variation with respect to the longitudinal coordinate was investigated, for example, in [3–6]. The unsteady flows considered in the present paper have a number of characteristic properties of non-parallel flows [1], but in contrast to them are described by exact solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. In addition, for unsteady planeparallel flows a criterion of neutral stability can be uniquely established by means of the energy balance equation.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, 138–142, July–August, 1981.I thank G. I. Petrov for suggesting the problem, and also S. Ya. Gertsenshtein and A. V. Latyshev for assisting in the work.     

Three-dimensional instability of an elliptic Kirchhoff vortex

The instability of a Kirchhoff vortex [1–3] with respect to three-dimensional perturbations is considered in the linear approximation. The method of successive approximations is applied in the form described in [4–6]. The eccentricity of the core is used as a small parameter. The analysis is restricted to the calculation of the first two approximations. It is shown that exponentially increasing perturbations of the same type as previously predicted and observed in rotating flows in vessels of elliptic cross section [4–9] appear even in the first approximation. As distinct from the case of plane perturbations [1-3], where there is a critical value of the core eccentricity separating the stable and unstable flow regimes, instability is predicted for arbitrarily small eccentricity.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 40–45, May–June, 1988.     

Cavitation flow around a plate in a channel by a stream of heavy liquid

The nonlinear problem of cavitation flow around a plate by a stream of heavy liquid is investigated in precise formulation; the plate is located on the horizontal floor of a channel when the gravity vector is directed perpendicular to the wall of the channel. Two flow systems are considered-Ryabushinskii's and Kuznetsov's system [1]. This problem was investigated in linear formulation in [2], Similar problems were considered earlier in [3–7] for unrestricted flow. Below, on the basis of a method proposed by Birkhoff [8, 9], all the principal hydrodynamic and geometric characteristics are calculated for the problem being considered.Translated from Ivestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR. Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 3–9, May–June, 1973.     

Influence of an elastic plate on the motion of an inhomogenfous fluid

The influence of a thin elastic isotropic plate on the wave motion of an inhomogeneous fluid originating under the effect of external periodic perturbations is investigated. The fluid density increases constantly with depth. Analogous problems have been examined for an inhomogeneous fluid without a plate in [1, 2] and with a plate on the surface of a homogeneous fluid in [3–5].Sevastopol'. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 60–67, January–February, 1972.     

Instability and breakup of capillary liquid jets in a parallel airstream

The problem of the development and interaction of nonlinear two-dimensional perturbations in a rotating capillary jet is solved. The main attention is devoted to the study of the nonuniform breakup of the jet with allowance for the influence of the parallel airstream and the rotation. The solution is found by Galerkin's method [1–3]. The nonlinear development and interaction of a large number of perturbations is considered. A significant influence of long-wavelength modulation on the nature of drop formation is established. It is shown that an increase in the velocity of the parallel stream leads to a decrease in the relative size of the satellite (for the characteristic wavelengths). It is also shown that the rotation extends the region of unstable wave numbers in the complete range of flow velocities and air densities.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 124–128, May–June, 1981.I am sincerely grateful to G. I. Petrov, V. Ya. Shkadov, and S. Ya. Gertsenshtein for constant interest in the work.     

A case of jet flow of a gravity fluid

The problem of plane steady ideal heavy fluid flow bounded by an impermeable polygonal section, a curvilinear arc section, and a finite section of free surface is investigated in an exact nonlinear formulation. Hydrodynamic singularities may exist in the stream. A large class of captation problems of jet theory reduces to studying this kind of flow. The unique solvability of the problem under investigation is proved for sufficiently large Froude numbers and small arc curvature. A method of solution is given and an example is computed. Such problems have been solved earlier by numerical methods [1–3]. Some problems about jet flows of a gravity fluid with polygonal solid boundaries have been investigated by an analogous method in [4, 5].Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 140–143, May–June, 1975.     

Certain types of vibrationally convective instability of a two-dimensional fluid layer in zero gravity

The stability of a new equilibrium configuration possible in a two-dimensional layer of nonisothermal fluid executing high-frequency vibrations in zero gravity is investigated in the framework of the linear theory. A study is made on the basis of the equations of vibrational convection. Instability with respect to one-dimensional and two-dimensional perturbations is studied. An elementary exact solution is obtained for the one-dimensional perturbations. Vibrationally connective instability of a fluid in zero gravity has been studied in a number of papers [1-3].Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 4–7, September–October, 1987.The author expresses his gratitude to G. Z. Gershuni for his constant interest in my work.     

Nonlinear problems of the thermal conductivity equation

The asymptotic behavior of solutions of parabolic equations at infinite times has been investigated for various cases [1–6]. Two initial boundary-value problems are considered in this paper. The solution of the thermal conductivity equation with a nonlinear right-hand side is found, including also nonlinear boundary conditions. It is shown that the solution of the corresponding problem tends either to a stable, steady-state solution, or to a periodic solution, depending on the initial values of the functions and constants appearing in the conditions of the problem. Other papers [7, 8] are devoted to finding the periodic solutions of these two problems encountered in hydrodynamics (diffusion, underground hydrodynamics), and to studying the asymptotic behavior of the corresponding initial boundary problems.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 3, pp. 123–128, May–June, 1972.     

Convection in a closed cavity heated from below when equilibrium conditions are disrupted

The equilibrium of a fluid is possible in a closed cavity in the presence of a strictly vertical temperature gradient (heating from below) [1]. There is a distinct sequence of critical Rayleigh numbers R_i at which this equilibrium loses its stability relative to low characteristic perturbations. The presence of different finite perturbations, unavoidable in an experiment, leads to the absence of a strict equilibrium when R < R₁. The problem of the influence of the perturbation on the convection conditions near the critical points arises in this context [2, 3]. The case in which the cavity is heated not strictly from below is investigated in [2] and the case in which the perturbation of the equilibrium is due to the slow movement of the upper boundary of the region is investigated in [3]. In [2, 3] the perturbation has the structure of a first critical motion and thus the results of these papers coincide qualitatively. The perturbation of the temperature in the horizontal sections of the boundary, which creates a perturbation with a two-vortex structure corresponding to the second critical point R₂, is examined in this paper. A similar type of perturbation is characteristic for experiments in which the thermal conductivity properties of the fluid and the cavity walls are different. The nonlinear convection conditions are investigated numerically by the net-point method.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 203–207, March–April, 1977.The author wishes to thank D. B. Lyubimova, V. I. Chernatynskii, and A. A, Nepomnyashchii for their helpful comments.