An experimental study of viscous vortex rings

The work focuses on the problem of stability and viscous decay of single vortex rings. A tentative classification scheme is proposed for vortex rings which is based on extensive hot-wire measurements of velocity in the ring core and wake, and flow visualization, viz. laminar, wavy, turbulence-producing, and turbulent. Prediction of vortex ring type is shown to be possible, at least approximately, based on the vortex ring Reynolds number alone. Linear growth rates of ring diameter with time are observed for all types of vortex rings, with different growth rates occurring for laminar and turbulent vortex rings. Data on the viscous decay of vortex rings are used to provide experimental confirmation of the accuracy of Saffman's equation for the velocity of propagation of a vortex ring.The work reported herein is supported through a grant of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Special thanks are due to CAPES (Brazil) for the award of a scholarship to the senior author.