The mechanics of particle accumulation structures in thermocapillary flows

The motion of small particles suspended in a cylindrical thermocapillary liquid bridge is considered. Owing to geometry and surface stresses the streamlines gather near the cylindrical free surface and provoke particle–free-surface collisions. We show numerically that tracers which are perfect but of finite size can accumulate on closed trajectories. A simple model is proposed to explain the attraction of particles to the closed trajectory based on the flow topology in the vicinity of a closed streamline which comes sufficiently close to the free surface and on particle–free-surface collisions which transfer particles among different streamlines.     

A numerical method for simulating the dynamics of 3D axisymmetric vesicles suspended in viscous flows

We extend [Shravan K. Veerapaneni, Denis Gueyffier, Denis Zorin, George Biros, A boundary integral method for simulating the dynamics of inextensible vesicles suspended in a viscous fluid in 2D, Journal of Computational Physics 228(7) (2009) 2334–2353] to the case of three-dimensional axisymmetric vesicles of spherical or toroidal topology immersed in viscous flows. Although the main components of the algorithm are similar in spirit to the 2D case—spectral approximation in space, semi-implicit time-stepping scheme—the main differences are that the bending and viscous force require new analysis, the linearization for the semi-implicit schemes must be rederived, a fully implicit scheme must be used for the toroidal topology to eliminate a CFL-type restriction and a novel numerical scheme for the evaluation of the 3D Stokes single layer potential on an axisymmetric surface is necessary to speed up the calculations. By introducing these novel components, we obtain a time-scheme that experimentally is unconditionally stable, has low cost per time step, and is third-order accurate in time. We present numerical results to analyze the cost and convergence rates of the scheme. To verify the solver, we compare it to a constrained variational approach to compute equilibrium shapes that does not involve interactions with a viscous fluid. To illustrate the applicability of method, we consider a few vesicle-flow interaction problems: the sedimentation of a vesicle, interactions of one and three vesicles with a background Poiseuille flow.     

Properties of steady states in turbulent axisymmetric flows

We experimentally study the properties of mean and most probable velocity fields in a turbulent von Kármán flow. These fields are found to be described by two families of functions, as predicted by a recent statistical mechanics study of 3D axisymmetric flows. We show that these functions depend on the viscosity and on the forcing. Furthermore, when the Reynolds number is increased, we exhibit a tendency for Beltramization of the flow, i.e., a velocity-vorticity alignment. This result provides a first experimental evidence of nonlinearity depletion in nonhomogeneous nonisotropic turbulent flow.     

Modeling and simulation of thermocapillary flows using lattice Boltzmann method

To understand how thermocapillary forces manipulate droplet motion in microfluidic channels, we develop a lattice Boltzmann (LB) multiphase model to simulate thermocapillary flows. The complex hydrodynamic interactions are described by an improved color-fluid LB model, in which the interfacial tension forces and the Marangoni stresses are modeled in a consistent manner using the concept of a continuum surface force. An additional convection–diffusion equation is solved in the LB framework to obtain the temperature field, which is coupled to the interfacial tension through an equation of state. A stress-free boundary condition is also introduced to treat outflow boundary, which can conserve the total mass of an incompressible system, thus improving the numerical stability for creeping flows.The model is firstly validated against the analytical solutions for the thermocapillary driven convection in two superimposed fluids at negligibly small Reynolds and Marangoni numbers. It is then used to simulate thermocapillary migration of three-dimensional deformable droplet at various Marangoni numbers, and its accuracy is once again verified against the theoretical prediction in the limit of zero Marangoni number. Finally, we numerically investigate how the localized heating from a laser can block the microfluidic droplet motion through the induced thermocapillary forces. The droplet motion can be completely blocked provided that the intensity of laser exceeds a threshold value, below which the droplet motion successively undergoes four stages: constant velocity, deceleration, acceleration, and constant velocity. When the droplet motion is completely blocked, four steady vortices are clearly visible, and the droplet is fully filled by two internal vortices. The external vortices diminish when the intensity of laser increases.     

Effects of curvature on hydrothermal waves instability of radial thermocapillary flows

The stability of a thermocapillary flow in an extended cylindrical geometry is analyzed. This flow occurs in a thin liquid layer with a disk shape when a radial temperature gradient is applied along the horizontal free surface. Besides the aspect ratio, a second parameter related to the local curvature is introduced to describe completely the geometrical effects. We recover classical hydrothermal waves as predicted by Smith and Davis, but the properties of these waves are shown to evolve with the curvature parameter, thus leading to a nonuniform pattern over the cell. Moreover, it is shown that the problem is not invariant with respect to the exchange of the hot and cold sides.     

Fouling dynamics in suspension flows

A particle suspension flowing in a channel in which fouling layers are allowed to form on the channel walls is investigated by numerical simulation. A two-dimensional phase diagram with at least four different behaviors is constructed. The fouling is modeled by attachment during collision with the deposits and by detachment caused by large enough hydrodynamic drag. For fixed total number of particles and small Reynolds numbers, the relevant parameters governing the fouling dynamics are the solid volume fraction of the suspension and the detachment drag force threshold. Below a critical curve in this 2D phase space only transient fouling takes place when the suspension is accelerated from rest by a pressure gradient. Above the fouling transition line, persistent fouling layers are formed via ballistic deposition for low and via homogeneous deposition for large solid volume fractions. Close to the fouling transition line, the flow path between the deposited layers meanders, while necking appears for increasing distance from the transition. Finally, another transition to a fully blocked flow path takes place. As determined by the estimated amount of deposited particles at saturation, both transitions seem to be discontinuous. Large fluctuations and long saturation times are typical of the dynamics of the system.     

Population dynamics in compressible flows

Organisms often grow, migrate and compete in liquid environments, as well as on solid surfaces. However, relatively little is known about what happens when competing species are mixed and compressed by fluid turbulence. In these lectures we review our recent work on population dynamics and population genetics in compressible velocity fields of one and two dimensions. We discuss why compressible turbulence is relevant for population dynamics in the ocean and we consider cases both where the velocity field is turbulent and when it is static. Furthermore, we investigate populations in terms of a continuos density field and when the populations are treated via discrete particles. In the last case we focus on the competition and fixation of one species compared to another.     

On the different manifestations of particle accumulation structures (PAS) in thermocapillary flows

Particle de-mixing in flows in liquid-bridges driven by the Marangoni effect is investigated using primarily analytical models of the flow. The mechanism of particle–free-surface collisions is shown to explain the formation of experimentally observed particle depletion zones. This mechanism causes a mapping (or transfer) of particles moving on certain streamlines to other streamlines resulting in creation of a distinct depletion zone. Moreover, we demonstrate line-like particle accumulation along a chaotic streamline corresponding to SL2-PAS which is closed by a trajectory segment which is created by particle–free-surface interaction. The resulting limit cycle is stable due to the combined properties of the bulk transport and gathering at the free surface.     

Stability of axisymmetric swirl flows of viscous incompressible fluid

A new method of solution to the problem of stability of the swirl flow of viscous incompressible fluid is developed. The method based on expansion of the required function into power series of radial coordinate allows an avoidance of difficulties related to numerical integration of the system of differential equations with a singular point. Stability of the Poiseuille flow in a rotating pipe is considered as an example.     

Temporally heterogeneous dynamics in granular flows

Granular simulations are used to probe the particle scale dynamics at short, intermediate, and long time scales for gravity-driven, dense granular flows down an inclined plane. On approach to the angle of repose, where motion ceases, the dynamics become intermittent over intermediate times, with strong temporal correlations between particle motions-temporally heterogeneous dynamics. This intermittency is characterized through large-scale structural events whereby the contact network periodically spans the system. A characteristic time scale associated with these processes increases as the stopped state is approached. These features are discussed in the context of the dynamics of supercooled liquids near the glass transition.     

Relativistic vortex dynamics in axisymmetric stationary perfect fluid configuration

Relativistic formulation of Helmholtz’s vorticity transport equation is presented on the basis of Maxwell-like version of Euler’s equation of motion. Entangled characteristics associated with vorticity flux conservation in a vortex tube and in a stream tube are displayed on basis of Greenberg’s theory of spacelike congruence of vortex lines and \(1+1+(2)\) decomposition of the gradient of fluid’s 4-velocity. Vorticity flux surfaces are surfaces of revolution about the rotation axis and are rotating with fluid’s angular velocity due to gravitational isorotation in a stationary axisymmetric perfect fluid configuration. Fluid’s angular velocity, angular momentum per baryon, injection energy, and invariant rotational potential are constant on such vorticity flux surfaces. Gravitation causes distortion of coaxial cylindrical vorticity flux surfaces in the limit of post-Newtonian approximation. The rotation of the fluid with angular velocity relative to vorticity flux surfaces generates swirl which causes the stretching of material vortex lines being wrapped on vorticity flux surfaces. Fluid helicity which is conserved in the fluid’s rest frame does not remain conserved in a locally nonrotating frame because of the existence of swirl. Vortex lines are twist free in the absence of meridional circulations, but the twisting of spacetime due to dragging effect leads to the increase in vorticity flux in a vortex tube.     

An axisymmetric hypersingular boundary integral formulation for simulating acoustic wave propagation in supercavitating flows

Flow supercavitation begins when fluid is accelerated over a sharp edge, usually at the nose of an underwater vehicle, where a phase change occurs and causes a low density gaseous cavity to gradually envelop the whole object (supercavity) thereby allowing for higher speeds of underwater vehicles. The supercavity may be maintained through ventilated cavitation caused by injection of gases into the cavity, which causes fluctuations at the vapor–water interface. A major issue that concerns the efficient operation of an underwater object’s guidance system (which is achieved by high frequency acoustic sensors mounted within the nose region), is the hydrodynamic noise produced due to the fluctuating vapor–water interface. It is important to carry out a detailed study on the effect of self-noise at the vehicle’s nose that is generated by the ventilating gas jet impingement on the supercavity wall. For this purpose, the present study uses a boundary element method which is more versatile compared to other numerical techniques such as the finite element/finite difference methods. The variation of acoustic pressure at the vehicle nose for various shapes of cavitators, boundary conditions and jet impact diameters are presented. Comparisons are made with the semi-analytical procedure of Howe et al. (Howe et al., On self-noise at the nose of a supercavitating vehicle. Journal of Sound and Vibration, 322 (2009a), 772–784) and finite element based COMSOL commercial package. Several issues pertaining to the behaviour of analytical and numerical results are highlighted. Finally, the proposed boundary element technique is used to study arbitrary shapes of supercavities which may encountered at various stages of supercavity development.     

Tidal dynamics of relativistic flows near black holes

We point out novel consequences of general relativity involving tidal dynamics of ultrarelativistic relative motion. Specifically, we use the generalized Jacobi equation and its extension to study the force‐free dynamics of relativistic flows near a massive rotating source. We show that along the rotation axis of the gravitational source, relativistic tidal effects strongly decelerate an initially ultrarelativistic flow with respect to the ambient medium, contrary to Newtonian expectations. Moreover, an initially ultrarelativistic flow perpendicular to the axis of rotation is strongly accelerated by the relativistic tidal forces. The astrophysical implications of these results for jets and ultrahigh energy cosmic rays are briefly mentioned.     

Cumulative compressibility effects on slow reactive dynamics in turbulent flows

Reactions in turbulent flows, chemical reactions or combustion, are common. Typically reaction time scales are much shorter than turbulence timescales. In biological applications, as it is the case for bacterial and plankton populations living under the influence of currents in oceans and lakes, the typical lifetime can be long and thus can fall well within the inertial range of turbulence time scales. Under these conditions, turbulent transport interacts in a very complex way with the dynamics of growth and death of the individuals in the population. In the present paper, we quantitatively investigate the effect of the flow compressibility on the dynamics of populations. Small effective compressibility can be induced by several physical mechanisms, such as, e.g., by the density mismatch, by a small but finite size of microorganisms, and by gyrotaxis (an interaction between swimming and shear). We report, for the first time, how even a tiny effective compressibility can produce a dramatically large effect on global quantities like the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. We interpret our findings by means of a cumulative effect made possible by the long replication times of the organisms with respect to turbulence time scales. A statistical quantification of the fluctuations of population concentration is presented.     

Polymer dynamics in chaotic flows with a strong shear component

We consider the dynamics of a polymer molecule injected into a chaotic flow with a strong mean shear component. The polymer experiences aperiodic tumbling in such flows. We consider a simplified model of the chaotic velocity field given by the superposition of a steady shear flow and a large-scale isotropic short-correlated random component. In the framework of this model, we present a detailed study of the statistical properties of single-polymer dynamics. We obtain the stationary probability distribution function of the polymer orientation, find the distribution of time periods between consequent events of tumbling, and find the tails of the polymer size distribution. The text was submitted by the author in English.