Stability analysis of shear-thinning flow between rotating cylinders

Stability of the shear thinning Taylor–Couette flow is carried out and complete bifurcation diagram is drawn. The fluid is assumed to follow the Carreau–Bird model and mixed boundary conditions are imposed. The low-order dynamical system, resulted from Galerkin projection of the conservation of mass and momentum equations, includes additional nonlinear terms in the velocity components originated from the shear-dependent viscosity. It is observed, that the base flow loses its radial flow stability to the vortex structure at a lower critical Taylor number, as the shear thinning effects increases. The emergence of the vortices corresponds to the onset of a supercritical bifurcation which is also seen in the flow of a linear fluid. However, unlike the Newtonian case, shear-thinning Taylor vortices lose their stability as the Taylor number reaches a second critical number corresponding to the onset of a Hopf bifurcation. Complete flow field together with viscosity maps are given for different scenarios in the bifurcation diagram.     

The asymptotics of neutral curve crossing in Taylor–Dean flow

The fluid flow between a pair of coaxial circular cylinders generated by the uniform rotation of the inner cylinder and an azimuthal pressure gradient is susceptible to both Taylor and Dean type instabilities. The flow can be characterised by two parameters: a measure of the relative magnitude of the rotation and pressure effects and a non-dimensional Taylor number. This work considers the small gap, large wavenumber limit for linear perturbations when the onset of the Taylor and Dean instabilities is concurrent. A consistent, matched asymptotic solution is found across the whole annular domain and identifies five regions of interest: two boundary adjustment regions and three internal critical points. Necessary conditions for the Taylor number and wavenumber are found and interpreted with reference to the suggestion of neutral curve kinks occurring at moderate wavelengths. Received: October 21, 2003; revised: November 11, 2004     

Dynamic Transition and Pattern Formation in Taylor Problem

The main objective of this article is to study both dynamic and structural transitions of the Taylor-Couette flow, by using the dynamic transition theory and geometric theory of incompressible flows developed recently by the authors. In particular, it is shown that as the Taylor number crosses the critical number, the system undergoes either a continuous or a jump dynamic transition, dictated by the sign of a computable, nondimensional parameter R. In addition, it is also shown that the new transition states have the Taylor vortex type of flow structure, which is structurally stable.     

Uniform Flow Past an Axially Uniform Viscous Vortex

It is believed that the flow past a tornado causes the formation of smaller vortices which produce the “suction spots” observed along the path of destruction. Here we develop a greatly simplified mathematical model to investigate this phenomenon. An axially uniform vortex is developed by visualizing a circular tube with uniform surface suction of fluid possessing circulation at infinity. This vortex is then perturbed by a uniform flow past it. An inner asymptotic expansion of an E^1/3 radial boundary layer is matched to an outer expansion to obtain a solution. The results show that a stagnation point developing into a secondary vortex is formed in a free shear layer at critical flow conditions. However, it is difficult to apply our results quantitatively because of the difficulty in comparing the axially uniform vortex with a real tornado vortex.     

Numerical computation of end plate effect on Taylor vortices between rotating conical cylinders

End plate effect on Taylor vortices between rotating conical cylinders is studied by numerical method in this paper. We suppose that the inner cone rotates together with the end plate at the top and the outer one as well as the end plate at the bottom remains at rest. It is found that the instability sets in at a critical Reynolds number about Re = 80. Increase Re to about Re = 200 the first single clockwise vortex is formed near the top of the flow system. Further increase Re to about Re = 440 another clockwise vortex is formed under the first one. At about Re = 448 the third vortex is formed which rotates in counterclockwise direction between the first two vortices. With increasing of Re the process continues. Finally, a configuration is obtained with an odd number of vortices in the annulus at about Re = 700, which confirms the experimental observation. Moreover, the local extreme values of pressure and velocity are achieved at the adjacent lines between neighboring vortices or at the medium lines of vortices. The effect of gap size on vortices is also considered. It is shown that the number of vortices increases with decreasing of the gap size and the end plates play an important role in the parity of the number of the vortices.     

Nonlinear Stability of Nonstationary Cross-Flow Vortices in Compressible Boundary Layers

The nonlinear evolution of long-wavelength non stationary cross-flow vortices in a compressible boundary layer is investigated; the work extends that of Gajjar [1] to flows involving multiple critical layers. The basic flow profile considered in this paper is that appropriate for a fully three-dimensional boundary layer with O(1) Mach number and with wall heating or cooling. The governing equations for the evolution of the cross-flow vortex are obtained, and some special cases are discussed. One special case includes linear theory, where exact analytic expressions for the growth rate of the vortices are obtained. Another special case is a generalization of the Bassom and Gajjar [2] results for neutral waves to compressible flows. The viscous correction to the growth rate is derived, and it is shown how the unsteady nonlinear critical layer structure merges with that for a Haberman type of viscous critical layer.     

On the Generation of Mean Flows by the Interaction of Görtler Vortices and Tollmien-Schlichting Waves in Curved Channel Flows

There are many fluid flows where the onset of transition can be caused by different instability mechanisms which compete in the nonlinear regime. Here the interaction of a centrifugal instability mechanism with the viscous mechanism which causes Tollmien-Schlichting waves is discussed. The interaction between these modes can be strong enough to drive the mean state; here the interaction is investigated in the context of curved channel flows so as to avoid difficulties associated with boundary layer growth. Essentially it is found that the mean state adjusts itself so that any modes present are neutrally stable even at finite amplitude. In the first instance the mean state driven by a vortex of short wavelength in the absence of a Tollmien-Schlichting wave is considered. It is shown that for a given channel curvature and vortex wavelength there is an upper limit to the mass flow rate which the channel can support as the pressure gradient is increased. When Tollmien-Schlichting waves are present then the nonlinear differential equation to determine the mean state is modified. At sufficiently high Tollmien-Schlichting amplitudes it is found that the vortex flows are destroyed, but there is a range of amplitudes where a fully nonlinear mixed vortex-wave state exists and indeed drives a mean state having little similarity with the flow which occurs without the instability modes. The vortex and Tollmien-Schlichting wave structure in the nonlinear regime has viscous wall layers and internal shear layers; the thickness of the internal layers is found to be a function of the Tollmien-Schlichting wave amplitude.     

Onset of thermal convection and influence of rotation in wide spherical gap flow

The onset of thermal convection and the effect of rotation in a high Prandtl number fluid in a wide gap between two concentric spheres with an axial force field are investigated experimentally. Both spheres rotate along the vertical axis with the same angular velocity Ω while the inner one (r₁) is cooled and the outer one (r₂) is heated. The velocity field is investigated by different visualization techniques and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). The axisymmetric basic flow is disturbed by local instabilities. At a Rayleigh number of Ra = 6.97 · 10⁶, a pulsing vortex develops in the south polar region. A different, coexisting instability in the outer boundary layer appears at Ra = 1.79 · 10⁷. Rotating with Taylor numbers Ta > 1.4 · 10⁵, this instability vanishes. The instabilities occur mainly in the southern hemisphere where the thermal stratification is unstable.     

Lower Branch Modes of the Compressible Boundary Layer Flow Due to a Rotating-Disk

In this article, a theoretical study is pursued to investigate the structure of the lower branch neutral stability modes of three-dimensional small disturbances imposed on the compressible boundary layer flow due to a rotating-disk. Special attention is focused on to the short-wavelength stationary/nonstationary compressible crossflow vortex modes at sufficiently high Reynolds numbers with reasonably small scaled frequencies. Following closely the asymptotic framework introduced in [ 1 ] for the incompressible stationary modes, it is demonstrated here that the compressible modes having sufficiently long time scale can also be described by an asymptotic expansion procedure based on the triple-deck approach. Making use of this rational asymptotic technique, which rigorously takes into account the nonparallel effects, the asymptotic structure of the nonstationary modes is shown to be adjusted by a balance between viscous and Coriolis forces, and resulted from the fact of vanishing shear stress at the disk surface, as in the incompressible Von Karman's flow. As a consequence of matching successive regions in the asymptotic procedure, it is found that the wavenumber and the orientation of the compressible lower branch modes are governed by an eigenrelation, which is akin to the one obtained previously in [ 1 ] for the incompressible stationary mode and in [ 2 ] for the compressible stationary modes. The nonparallel influences are toward destabilizing all the modes, though the wall insulation and heating are relatively stabilizing for the modes in the vicinity of the stationary mode, unlike the wall cooling. The asymptotic compressible data obtained at high Reynolds number limit compares fairly well with the numerical results generated directly solving the linearized compressible system with usual parallel flow approximation.     

Vortex Interaction in a Ducted Flow

The objective of this study is to describe the structure of pipe flow by considering it as a superposition of many axisymmetric vortex rings. In knowing the unsteady gross feature of pipe flow, the investigation on vortex interactions is important. As a first step to the goal, we investigate the nonlinear interaction among vortex rings whose number is three at most. The interaction among vortex rings of equal circulation is here investigated. Momentum and energy conservation of the present vortex ring system are also discussed to know a better understanding of the perturbed pipe flow. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Occurrence of Taylor vortices in the flow between two rotating conical cylinders

The behavior of the flow between two coaxial conical cylinders with the inner one rotating and the outer one stationary is studied numerically. Special attention is paid to the occurrence of Taylor vortices in basic flow and unsteady helical vortices. It is found that, in basic flow, the vortices occur in the direction toward smaller radius, while toward bigger radius in unsteady helical vortices; moreover, the unsteady helical vortices can coexist with unstable steady Taylor vortices. The results suggest that the behavior of conical flow is dominated by a competition between the meridional flow and radial flow. The effect of meridional flow is most significant at small apex angle or in basic flow and helical vortices, while the radial flow dominates the structure at larger apex angle or in steady vortical flow. In order to get better understanding the competition and the transition of Taylor–Couette flow to conical flow, a velocity angle related to velocity components is defined, and the pattern evolution of velocity, streamlines and the velocity angle are examined with respect to apex angle, as well as Reynolds number. Finally, the statistical properties of turbulent conical flow are investigated.     

Rossby Waves on a Shear Flow with Recirculation Cores

Large-amplitude Rossby waves riding on a background flow with a weak shear can be calculated up to a critical amplitude for which the meridional velocity, in a frame traveling with the wave, approaches zero at some point. Here we consider waves with an amplitude slightly greater than the critical amplitude by incorporating a region of recirculating fluid (vortex core) near this critical point. The effect of the vortex core is to introduce an extra nonlinear term into the equation for the wave amplitude proportional to the 3/2 power of the difference between the wave amplitude and the critical amplitude. The main effect due to the vortex core is a broadening of the wave profile. Furthermore, we show that the vortex core family has a limiting amplitude, with the limiting amplitude corresponding to a semi-infinite bore.     

Analysis of quasi-steady acceleration in circular Couette flow

The effect of inner cylinder acceleration in the transition from circular Couette flow to Taylor vortex regime was numerically investigated. The solution of the eigenvalue problem when the Couette flow was perturbed allowed the determination of the relationship between the inner cylinder acceleration rate and the acceleration time duration expressed in terms of viscous diffusion time. The analysis of the numerical results also allowed the concept of quasi-steady acceleration in the Couette system to be qualitatively described.     

Rossby Solitary Waves in the Presence of a Critical Layer

This study considers the evolution of weakly nonlinear long Rossby waves in a horizontally sheared zonal current. We consider a stable flow so that the nonlinear time scale is long. These assumptions enable the flow to organize itself into a large‐scale coherent structure in the régime where a competition sets in between weak nonlinearity and weak dispersion. This balance is often described by a Korteweg‐de‐Vries equation. The traditional assumption of a weak amplitude breaks down when the wave speed equals the mean flow velocity at a certain latitude, due to the appearance of a singularity in the leading‐order equation, which strongly modifies the flow in a critical layer. Here, nonlinear effects are invoked to resolve this singularity, because the relevant geophysical flows have high Reynolds numbers. Viscosity is introduced in order to render the nonlinear‐critical‐layer solution unique, but the inviscid limit is eventually taken. By the method of matched asymptotic expansions, this inner flow is matched at the edges of the critical layer with the outer flow. We will show that the critical‐layer–induced flow leads to a strong rearrangement of the related streamlines and consequently of the potential‐vorticity contours, particularly in the neighborhood of the separatrices between the open and closed streamlines. The symmetry of the critical layer vis‐à‐vis the critical level is also broken. This theory is relevant for the phenomenon of Rossby wave breaking and eventual saturation into a nonlinear wave. Spatially localized solutions are described by a Korteweg‐de‐Vries equation, modified by new nonlinear terms; depending on the critical‐layer shape, this leads to depression or elevation waves. The additional terms are made necessary at a certain order of the asymptotic expansion while matching the inner flow on the dividing streamlines. The new evolution equation supports a family of solitary waves. In this paper we describe in detail the case of a depression wave, and postpone for further discussion the more complex case of an elevation wave.     

Stability and bifurcation of couette flow in the case of a narrow gap between rotating cylinders : PMM vol. 38, n 6, 1974, pp. 1025–1030

Stability and bifurcation of Couette flow between concentric rotating cylinders are investigated for the case when the ratios of their radii R and angular velocities Ω are nearly equal to unity. The limiting problem in the linear theory when R → 1 and Ω → 1 is the problem of convection stability in the layer [1]. We find that this is also correct in the case of a nonlinear problem. Below we show that solution of the problem of free convection yields the principal term of the expansion of the secondary flow (Taylor vortex) in the powers of a small parameter δ = R − 1. Therefore the results of [2, 3] can be used to provide, in the present case, a strict justification for the use of the Liapunov-Schmidt method to compute the Taylor vortices. The numerical results obtained for the critical Reynolds' number and the amplitude of the secondary flow provide a good illustration of the asymptotic passage as δ → 0.     

On the Instability of Gortler Vortices to Nonlinear Travelling Waves

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed Recent theoretical work by Hall & Seddougui (1989) has shownthat strongly nonlinear high-wavenumber Görtler vorticesdeveloping within a boundary layer flow are susceptible to asecondary instability which takes the form of travelling wavesconfined to a thin region centred at the outer edge of the vortex.This work considered the case in which the secondary mode couldbe satisfactorily described by a linear stability theory, andin the current paper our objective is to extend this investigationof Hall & Seddougui (1989) into the nonlinear regime. Wefind that, at this stage, not only does the secondary mode becomenonlinear, but it also interacts with itself so as to modifythe governing equations for the primary Görtler vortex.In this case, then, the vortex and the travelling wave driveeach other, and indeed the whole flow structure is describedby an infinite set of coupled nonlinear differential equations.We undertake a Stuart-Watson type of weakly nonlinear analysisof these equations and conclude, in particular, that on thisbasis there exist stable flow configurations in which the travellingmode is of finite amplitude. Implications of our findings forpractical situations are discussed, and it is shown that thetheoretical conclusions drawn here are in good qualitative agreementwith available experimental observations.     

Effects of Suction on the Nonstationary Lower Branch Modes of a Compressible Boundary Layer Flow Due to a Rotating Disk

In this paper, suction and injection effects are investigated theoretically on the structure of the lower branch neutral stability modes of three-dimensional small disturbances imposed on the compressible boundary layer flow due to a rotating disk. In a recent study [ 1 ], it was demonstrated that the short-wavelength stationary/nonstationary compressible crossflow vortex modes at sufficiently high Reynolds numbers with reasonably small scaled frequencies can be described by an asymptotic expansion procedure as set up in [ 2 ] for the incompressible stationary modes, which rigorously takes into account the nonparallel effects. Employing this rational asymptotic technique, it is shown here that the wavenumber and the orientation of the compressible lower branch modes are governed by an eigenrelation that is under the strong influence of a suction/injection parameter     , which, when set to zero, the relation turns out to be the one obtained previously by Turkyilmazoglu [ 1 ] for zero-suction compressible modes.
The boundary layer growth contributes in the way of destabilizing all the modes, in particular for the compressible modes, though the wall cooling in the case of suction and the wall insulation and heating in the case of injection are found to persist to the destabilization for the modes in the vicinity of the stationary mode. From a linear stability analysis point of view, suction is found to be stabilizing, whereas injection enhances the instability as compared to the no suction through the surface of the disk. In both cases, positive frequency waves are found to be highly destabilized as compared to the waves having negative frequencies. The findings of the work are also fully supported after a comparison between the numerical results obtained from directly solving the linearized compressible system with a usual parallel flow approximation and the asymptotic compressible data obtained at a high Reynolds number.     

Dynamics of Vortex Rossby Waves in Tropical Cyclones,Part 1: Linear Time‐Dependent Evolution on an f‐Plane

Analyses of observational data on hurricanes in the tropical atmosphere indicate the existence of spiral rainbands which propagate outward from the eye and affect the structure and intensity of the hurricane. These disturbances may be described as vortex Rossby waves. This paper describes the evolution of barotropic vortex Rossby waves in a cyclonic vortex in a two‐dimensional configuration where the variation of the Coriolis force with latitude is ignored. The waves are forced by a constant‐amplitude boundary condition at a fixed radius from the center of the vortex and propagate outward. The mean flow angular velocity profile is taken to be a quadratic function of the radial distance from the center of the vortex and there is a critical radius at which it is equal to the phase speed of the waves. For the case of waves with steady amplitude, an exact solution is derived for the steady linearized equations in terms of hypergeometric functions; this solution is valid in the outer region away from the critical radius. For the case of waves with time‐dependent amplitude, asymptotic solutions of the linearized equations, valid for late time, are obtained in the outer and inner regions. It is found that there are strong qualitative similarities between the conclusions on the evolution of the vortex waves in this configuration and those obtained in the case of Rossby waves in a rectangular configuration where the latitudinal gradient of the Coriolis parameter is taken into account. In particular, the amplitude of the steady‐state outer solution is greatly attenuated and there is a phase change of across the critical radius, and in the linear time‐dependent configuration, the outer solution approaches a steady state in the limit of infinite time, while the amplitude of the inner solution grows on a logarithmic time scale and the width of the critical layer approaches zero.     

Nonlinear high-wavenumber Bnard convection

Weakly nonlinear two-dimensional roll cells in Bnard convectionare examined in the limit as the wavenumber a of the roll cellsbecomes large. In this limit the second harmonic contributionsto the solution become negligible, and a flow develops wherethe fundamental vortex terms and the correction to the meanare determined simultaneously, rather than sequentially as inthe weakly nonlinear case. Extension of this structure to Rayleighnumbers O(a³) above the neutral curve is shown to be possible,with the resulting flow field having a form very similar tothat for strongly nonlinear vortices in a centripetally unstableflow. The flow in this strongly nonlinear regime consists ofa core region, and boundary layers of thickness O(a^–1)at the walls. The core region occupies most of the thicknessof the fluid layer and only mean terms and cos az terms playa role in determining the flow; in the boundary layer all harmonicsof the vortex motion are present. Numerical solutions of thewall layer equations are presented and it is also shown thatthe heat transfer across the layer is significantly greaterthan in the conduction state.     

On the stability of reverse flow vortices

The nonlinear stability of vortex zones of reverse flows in a plane-parallel ideal incompressible flow is proved. The zones originate at large values of a dimensionless parameter taken in the inflow part of the boundary, the so-called vorticity level. Positive or negative values of this parameter lead to a left- or right-hand oriented vortex, respectively.