Evolution of an initially columnar vortex terminating normal to a no-slip wall

The early evolution of an initially columnar vortex normal to a solid wall was examined. The vortex was generated by a pair of flaps in a water tank. Detrimental effects from the wall during the vortex generation were avoided by producing the vortex normal to a free surface and subsequently bringing a horizontal plate into contact with the surface. Digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) measurements of the velocity and vorticity, together with laser induced fluorescence (LIF) visualizations, in a meridional plane revealed a toroidal structure with the appearance of an axisymmetric vortex breakdown bubble. Agreement was found between the measurements and numerical simulations of the axisymmetric Navier–Stokes equations. The results show that the flow in the effusive corner region is dominated by a Bödewadt-type spatially oscillatory boundary layer within the core region and a potential-like vortex boundary layer at large radii. The toroidal structure results from the interaction between these two boundary layers, leading to the roll up of a dominant shear layer within the Bödewadt structure, and does not develop from the columnar vortex itself.     

Global stability behaviour for the BEK family of rotating boundary layers

Numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the linear global stability behaviour of the Bödewadt, Ekman, von Kármán (BEK) family of flows, for cases where a disc rotates beneath an incompressible fluid that is also rotating. This extends the work reported in recent studies that only considered the rotating-disc boundary layer with a von Kármán configuration, where the fluid that lies above the boundary layer remains stationary. When a homogeneous flow approximation is made, neglecting the radial variation of the basic state, it can be shown that linearised disturbances are susceptible to absolute instability. We shall demonstrate that, despite this prediction of absolute instability, the disturbance development exhibits globally stable behaviour in the BEK boundary layers with a genuine radial inhomogeneity. For configurations where the disc rotation rate is greater than that of the overlying fluid, disturbances propagate radially outwards and there is only a convective form of instability. This replicates the behaviour that had previously been documented when the fluid did not rotate beyond the boundary layer. However, if the fluid rotation rate is taken to exceed that of the disc, then the propagation direction reverses and disturbances grow while convecting radially inwards. Eventually, as they approach regions of smaller radii, where stability is predicted according to the homogeneous flow approximation, the growth rates reduce until decay takes over. Given sufficient time, such disturbances can begin to diminish at every radial location, even those which are positioned outwards from the radius associated with the onset of absolute instability. This leads to the confinement of the disturbance development within a finitely bounded region of the spatial–temporal plane.     

An experimental study of diabatic spiral vortex flow

In spiral vortex flow, between concentric cylinders with the inner cylinder rotating and the outer stationary, the addition of a thermal gradient across the gap is a known complicating factor. The present diabatic study for narrow and wide gaps (radius ratios N=0.955 and N=0.8), with a heated outer and adiabatic inner cylinder, was undertaken to investigate this problem. The heat transfer characteristics and the modes of transition have been investigated together with the relationship between them. Using standard on-line digital computer techniques, the onset of vortex flow and its higher transitions have been shown to cause a sharp increase in Nusselt number. At higher Taylor numbers, of the order of 10⁶, a marked change in the Nusselt number occurs with the onset of the transition to periodic turbulent vortex flow. Outer wall heating is seen to affect the modes of transition. Diabatic critical Taylor numbers are much higher than those for adiabatic conditions and are found to depend on the close approach of the vortices to the outer wall     

Flow structure in a flat vortex chamber

We investigate a flow in a flat vortex chamber in which the distance between the end walls is smaller than the radius of the chamber. The study was mainly performed by optical methods: a Töpler device was employed, with the Foucault knife replaced by a diaphragm. It is shown that the flow in the chamber has a complicated spatial structure. In addition to the basic helical flow, an intense “transverse” rotation of the type of Taylor-Görtler vortices occurs. In contrast to previously studied flows, where these vortices were observed near a concave surface, in the motion considered transverse vortices occur in the entire working volume of the chamber. In this case, four parallel vortex filaments are formed. The high intensity of the vortices has allowed one to visualize them by the Töpler method and by “tinting” the flow by highly disperse particles. Quantitative dependences of the dimensions of the vortex cells on the flow regime, i.e., on the pressure of gas deceleration, were obtained.     

Radial variation of adiabatic and diabatic spiral vortex flow in a wide annular gap

Transitions occurring after the onset of spiral vortex flow in a wide concentric annular gap of radius ratio 0.8, formed by a stationary outer cylinder and a rotatable inner cylinder, have been studied experimentally. By isothermal heating of the annular surface, it was possible to consider diabatic as well as adiabatic conditions. At an axial Reynolds number of 500 and for a range of Taylor numbers up to 10⁷, power spectra and auto-correlograms were taken at two radial positions near to the inner and outer annular surfaces; these are compared with previous results taken at mid-gap under adiabatic conditions. Measurements of turbulence intensity across the gap were made also. Probability histograms and signal traces for diabatic flow near to the outer annular surface are presented. It has been shown that the vortex transitions affect the thermal boundary layer and, consequently, the heat transfer rates at the outer surface. A positive radial thermal gradient was seen to have little effect on the flow. The imposed axial flow was shown to be stabilising under adiabatic conditions but destabilising under diabatic conditions.     

Some features of the flow around rapidly rotating bodies made of cellular-porous materials

Two types of gas flows arising near a rapidly rotating cellular-porous disk are studied numerically and experimentally. Steady-state limits for the flow around a disk rotating in free space and the type and scenario of the loss of stability are determined. Transitional flows are characterized by formation of a vortex sheet at the boundary of the exhausting jet. Numerical simulations of the flow around a cellular-porous disk rotating near a flat screen show that it is possible to form a closed swirl flow responsible for redistribution of swirl in the gap between the disk and the flat screen. The computed results offer an explanation for the experimentally observed excess of tangential velocity of the flow in the gap over the velocity of disk rotation. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 86–96, January–February, 2007.     

The effect of wall cooling on compressible Görtler vortices

It is known that in adiabatic boundary layer flow over a curved surface the detailed structure of the spanwise periodic Görtler vortex instability varies markedly over the range of spanwise wavelength. At short wavelengths the modes tend to be concentrated in a well-defined thin zone located within the boundary layer. As the vortex wavenumber diminishes so the region of vortex activity is first driven to the bounding wall but subsequently expands to cover the entire boundary layer at which stage the modes take on a principally inviscid form. At yet longer wavelengths the vortices are given by the solution of an interactive multi-deck structure which has some similarities with that for Tollmien–Schlichting waves.In this work we investigate how the application of wall cooling affects the above scenario. It is shown how cooling both restricts the range of mode types and gives rise to two new structures. The first, for moderate cooling and which relates to longer wavelengths, is interactive in nature. Here the viscous–inviscid interaction between an essentially inviscid Görtler problem, albeit for an effective basic flow which in its general form has a non-standard near-wall structure, and a viscous sublayer is provided by novel boundary conditions. Shorter wavelength vortices are largely unaffected by wall cooling unless this is quite severe. However when this degree of cooling is applied, the vortices take on a fully viscous form and are confined to a thin region next to the bounding wall wherein the basic flow assumes an analytic form. Numerical solutions are obtained and we provide evidence as to how the two new structures are related both to each other and to the previously known uncooled results.     

Experiments on the flow of a thin liquid film over a horizontal stationary and rotating disk surface

Experiments on characterization of thin liquid films flowing over stationary and rotating disk surfaces are described. The thin liquid film was created by introducing deionized water from a flow collar at the center of an aluminum disk with a known initial film thickness and uniform radial velocity. Radial film thickness distribution was measured using a non-intrusive laser light interface reflection technique that enabled the measurement of the instantaneous film thickness over a finite segment of the disk. Experiments were performed for a range of flow rates between 3.0 lpm and 15.0 lpm, corresponding to Reynolds numbers based on the liquid inlet gap height and velocity between 238 and 1,188. The angular speed of the disk was varied from 0 rpm to 300 rpm. When the disk was stationary, a circular hydraulic jump was present in the liquid film. The liquid-film thickness in the subcritical region (downstream of the hydraulic jump) was an order of magnitude greater than that in the supercritical region (upstream of the hydraulic jump) which was of the order of 0.3 mm. As the Reynolds number increased, the hydraulic jump migrated toward the edge of the disk. In the case of rotation, the liquid-film thickness exhibited a maximum on the disk surface. The liquid-film inertia and friction influenced the inner region where the film thickness progressively increased. The outer region where the film thickness decreased was primarily affected by the centrifugal forces. A flow visualization study of the thin film was also performed to determine the characteristics of the waves on the free surface. At high rotational speeds, spiral waves were observed on the liquid film. It was also determined that the angle of the waves which form on the liquid surface was a function of the ratio of local radial to tangential velocity.     

Vortex intensification in convective cells

The intensification of single vortices in convective flows swirled by the Coriolis force is studied numerically. The initial disturbances, specified against the background of a steady cell, are coaxial with the cell flow and have various swirl directions, intensities, and dimensions. It is shown that the vortices are intensified no matter whether the direction of disturbing vortex rotation is co- or counter-directional with the Coriolis force. If the disturbance intensity is small as compared with that of the convective-cell flow, the growth of the azimuthal velocity circulation in the perturbing vortices depends linearly on their initial circulation. For such vortices, the energy increase is proportional to the characteristic vortex radius to the power –5/3.Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Academii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, 2004, pp. 62–68. Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Ivanov and Povarnitsyn.     

Topology of radial jet reattachment

Topological features of the flow emanating from a radial jet nozzle and its subsequent reattachment on a flat surface were investigated using a variety of flow visualization techniques in the Texas A & M University (TAMU) water tunnel. Dominant features of the flow were observed to be the bifurcation of streamsurface after a turbulent reattachment into inner and outer flows. The inner flow was dominated by a sequence of events consisting of the recirculation, formation and breakup of the ring vortex into foci structures, mass entrainment and ejection. Outer flow exhibited formation of secondary vortices, and shear layer instabilities.     

Effect of compressibility on the development of taylor-görtler vortices at high reynolds numbers

The development of disturbances in viscous compressible flows caused by centrifugal forces is investigated. On the basis of an asymptotic analysis of the Navier-Stokes equations at high Reynolds and Görtler numbers, mathematical models describing the development of three-dimensional unstable vortex structures are constructed. Various linear boundary-value problems are analytically solved. One type of boundary layer instability is that generated by a centrifugal force field. This kind of instability can manifest itself in the flow past concave surfaces or, in general, in flows with streamlines of positive curvature [1, 2]. Instability-driven Görtler vortices have been the subject of much research which was reviewed, for example, in [2–4].     

Numerical simulation of magnetohydrodynamic flow in a toroidal duct of square cross-section

We present numerical simulation results of the quasi-static magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow in a toroidal duct of square cross-section with insulating Hartmann walls and conducting side walls. Both laminar and turbulent flows are considered. In the case of steady flows, we present a comprehensive analysis of the secondary flow. It consists of two counter-rotating vortex cells, with additional side wall vortices emerging at sufficiently high Hartmann number. Our results agree well with existing asymptotic analysis. In the turbulent regime, we make a comparison between hydrodynamic and MHD flows. We find that the curvature induces an asymmetry between the inner and outer side of the duct, with higher turbulence intensities occurring at the outer side wall. The magnetic field is seen to stabilize the flow so that only the outer side layer remains unstable. These features are illustrated both by a study of statistically averaged quantities and by a visualization of (instantaneous) coherent vortices.     

The lowest stability and bifurcation in supercritical Taylor vortices

Here, we numerically investigate the lowest stability and bifurcation boundary of supercritical Taylor vortices in flows with different wavenumbers and for various radius ratios; the radius ratios range from those corresponding to axisymmetrical Taylor vortex flow (TVF) to those corresponding to wavy vortex flow (WVF). The variation in the wavenumber of a supercritical TVF is found to affect the stability of the flow, because the wavenumber of the Taylor vortices remains constant only when the flow is quasi-static. The variation in the wavenumber is examined and found to be significant when the radius ratio is less than 0.7842. The results for TVF are compared with those for the flow during the quasi-static transition from TVF to WVF.     

Turbulent Taylor-Couette vortex flow between large radius ratio concentric cylinders

Turbulent Taylor vortices between two concentric cylinders have been studied at a very high radius ratio of 0.985, equivalent to that found in relatively small underwater thruster units (typically with gaps of 2 mm). In order to study the flow at this radius ratio, a 1.42-m diameter experimental apparatus (with a rotating inner cylinder and a stationary outer cylinder) was constructed possessing a gap of 10 mm. Consequently, air bubbles could be visualised translating in water. A method was developed for identifying Taylor vortex properties from filtered digital images of the air bubbles and summing intensities to produce bubble density distributions. Whereas individual instantaneous images can be misleading, averaged bubble density distributions make it possible to identify vortex separation sizes and the positions of vortex outflow boundaries.     

Iterative control of Görtler vortices via local wall deformations

Görtler vortices develop along concave walls as a result of the imbalance between the centrifugal force and radial pressure gradient. In this study, we introduce a simple control strategy aimed at reducing the growth rate of Görtler vortices by locally modifying the surface geometry in spanwise and streamwise directions. Such wall deformations are accounted in the boundary region equations by using a Prandtl transform of dependent and independent variables. The vortex energy is then controlled via a classical proportional control algorithm for which either the wall-normal velocity or the wall shear stress serves as the control variable. Our numerical results indicate that the control algorithm is quite effective in minimizing the wall shear stress.     

On the nature of the boundary layers instabilities in a flow between a rotating and a stationary discSur la nature des instabilités de couche limite dans un écoulement entre un disque fixe et un disque tournant

Both theoretical linear stability analysis and direct numerical simulation are performed to study the transition flow between a stationary and a rotating disc. This paper concerns three-dimensional spiral and annular patterns computed with a high-order (spectral) numerical method and related to Bödewadt layer instabilities. The characteristic parameters of these boundary layer patterns are compared to the theoretical results and interpreted in terms of type I and type II generic instabilities. Moreover, the absolute instability regions are also theoretically identified and the critical Reynolds numbers of the convective/absolute transition in both layers are given. To cite this article: E. Tuliska-Sznitko et al., C. R. Mecanique 330 (2002) 91–99.     

Görtler vortices promoted by wall roughness

Numerical experiments are conducted to investigate spatially developing Görtler vortices and the way in which wall roughness promotes their formation and growth. Several different types of walls are examined and their relative merits as vortex promoters assessed. The only disturbances of the flow are due to the rough wall; hence, at each downstream station the local field feels (1) the upstream flow distribution (produced by the upstream wall conditions) and (2) the local forcing at the wall. Rapid vortex formation and growth, like in the case of ribleted walls, can be qualitatively explained by the positive combination of these two effects; when the two influences on the local flow field compete, e.g. for randomly distributed wall roughness, the equations with the boundary conditions filter the disturbances over some streamwise length, function of the roughness amplitude, to create coherent patches of vorticity out of the random noise. These patches can then be amplified by the instability mechanism. If a thin rough strip is aligned along the span of an otherwise smooth wall to trip the boundary layer, the filtering region is shorter and growth of the vortices starts earlier. Also for the case of an isolated three-dimensional hump a rapid disturbance amplification is produced, but in this case the vortices remain confined and a very slow spanwise spreading of the perturbation occurs. In all naturally developing cases, where no specific wavelengths are explicity favored, the average spanwise wavelengths computed are very close to those of largest growth from the linear stability theory.     

Strong vortex/boundary layer interactions

This is the second of two papers on the interaction between a longitudinal vortex pair, produced by a delta-wing at angle of attack, and a turbulent boundary layer developing on a flat plate. In the first paper only the outer parts of the vortices entered the boundary layer whereas in this paper the vortices merge with it. In the resultant interaction, the boundary layer between the vortices is kept thin by lateral divergence and a three-dimensional separation line is formed outboard of each vortex. Turbulent, momentum-deficient fluid containing longitudinal vorticity is entrained from the boundary layer along these lines and wrapped around the vortices. As a consequence, the turbulent region of the vortices increases in size and the circulation slowly decreases. It is shown that the flow near the separation line and in the vortices is complicated, and this interaction is expected to be more difficult to calculate than the first. Detailed mean flow and turbulence measurements are reported.     

Study of sub-critical Taylor vortex flow between eccentric rotating cylinders by torque measurements and visual observations

This study of the flow between a rotating inner and stationary outer cylinder revealed secondary vortex flows at Taylor numbers well below the value at which Taylor vortices are formed. A distinct sequence of transitional stages has been observed. Torque measurements, visual observations, and varying the eccentricity have been used to study sub-critical vortices with zero axial flow     

Spiral and Wavy Vortex Flows in Short Counter-Rotating Taylor–Couette Cells

Differentially rotating cylinders result in a rich variety of vortical flows for cylindrical Couette flow. In this study we investigate the case of a short, finite-length cavity with counter-rotating cylinders via direct numerical simulation using a three-dimensional spectral method. We consider aspect ratios ranging from 5 to 6. Two complex flow regimes, wavy vortices and interpenetrating spirals, occur with similar appearance to those found experimentally for much larger aspect ratios. For wavy vortices the wave speed is similar to that found for counter-rotating systems and systems in which the outer cylinder is stationary. For the interpenetrating spiral structure, the vortices are largely confined to the unstable region near the inner cylinder. The endwalls appear to damp and stabilize the flow as the aspect ratio is reduced to the point that in some cases the vortical flow is suppressed. At higher inner cylinder speeds, the interpenetrating spirals acquire a waviness and the vortices, while generally near the inner cylinder, can extend all of the way to the outer cylinder. Received 5 November 2001 and accepted 29 March 2002 Published online 2 October 2002 Communicated by H.J.S. Fernando