Three-dimensional destabilization of Stuart vortices: the influence of rotation and ellipticity

1999 ◽  
Vol 387 ◽  
pp. 205-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. POTYLITSIN ◽  
W. R. PELTIER
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Mixing Layer ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Steady State Solution ◽  
Vorticity Distribution ◽  
Columnar Vortex ◽  
Elliptical Instability ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Dimensional Instability ◽  
Stuart Vortices

We investigate the influence of the ellipticity of a columnar vortex in a rotating environment on its linear stability to three-dimensional perturbations. As a model of the basic-state vorticity distribution, we employ the Stuart steady-state solution of the Euler equations. In the presence of background rotation, an anticyclonic vortex column is shown to be strongly destabilized to three-dimensional perturbations when background rotation is weak, while rapid rotation strongly stabilizes both anticyclonic and cyclonic columns, as might be expected on the basis of the Taylor–Proudman theorem. We demonstrate that there exist three distinct forms of three-dimensional instability to which strong anticyclonic vortices are subject. One form consists of a Coriolis force modified form of the ‘elliptical’ instability, which is dominant for vortex columns whose cross-sections are strongly elliptical. This mode was recently discussed by Potylitsin & Peltier (1998) and Leblanc & Cambon (1998). The second form of instability may be understood to constitute a three-dimensional inertial (centrifugal) mode, which becomes the dominant mechanism of instability as the ellipticity of the vortex column decreases. Also evident in the Stuart model of the vorticity distribution is a third ‘hyperbolic’ mode of instability that is focused on the stagnation point that exists between adjacent vortex cores. Although this short-wavelength cross-stream mode is much less important in the spectrum of the Stuart model than it is in the case of a true homogeneous mixing layer, it nevertheless does exist even though its presence has remained undetected in most previous analyses of the stability of the Stuart solution.

Effects of the Coriolis force on the stability of Stuart vortices

1998 ◽  
Vol 356 ◽  
pp. 353-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
STÉPHANE LEBLANC ◽  
CLAUDE CAMBON
Keyword(s):  
Coriolis Force ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Basic Mechanism ◽  
Short Wave ◽  
Stagnation Points ◽  
Floquet Modes ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Simple Flows ◽  
Stuart Vortices ◽  
Wave Breakdown

A detailed investigation of the effects of the Coriolis force on the three-dimensional linear instabilities of Stuart vortices is proposed. This exact inviscid solution describes an array of co-rotating vortices embedded in a shear flow. When the axis of rotation is perpendicular to the plane of the basic flow, the stability analysis consists of an eigenvalue problem for non-parallel versions of the coupled Orr–Sommerfeld and Squire equations, which is solved numerically by a spectral method. The Coriolis force acts on instabilities as a ‘tuner’, when compared to the non-rotating case. A weak anticyclonic rotation is destabilizing: three-dimensional Floquet modes are promoted, and at large spanwise wavenumber their behaviour is predicted by a ‘pressureless’ analysis. This latter analysis, which has been extensively discussed for simple flows in a recent paper (Leblanc & Cambon 1997) is shown to be relevant to the present study. The basic mechanism of short-wave breakdown is a competition between instabilities generated by the elliptical cores of the vortices and by the hyperbolic stagnation points in the braids, in accordance with predictions from the ‘geometrical optics’ stability theory. On the other hand, cyclonic or stronger anticyclonic rotation kills three-dimensional instabilities by a cut-off in the spanwise wavenumber. Under rapid rotation, the Stuart vortices are stabilized, whereas inertial waves propagate.

1997 Best Paper Award—Turbomachinery Committee: A Study of Spike and Modal Stall Phenomena in a Low-Speed Axial Compressor

1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. Camp ◽  
I. J. Day
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Short Length ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Length Scale ◽  
Stall Inception ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Dimensional Instability

This paper presents a study of stall inception mechanisms in a low-speed axial compressor. Previous work has identified two common flow breakdown sequences, the first associated with a short length-scale disturbance known as a “spike,” and the second with a longer length-scale disturbance known as a “modal oscillation.” In this paper the physical differences between these two mechanisms are illustrated with detailed measurements. Experimental results are also presented that relate the occurrence of the two stalling mechanisms to the operating conditions of the compressor. It is shown that the stability criteria for the two disturbances are different: Long length-scale disturbances are related to a two-dimensional instability of the whole compression system, while short length-scale disturbances indicate a three-dimensional breakdown of the flow-field associated with high rotor incidence angles. Based on the experimental measurements, a simple model is proposed that explains the type of stall inception pattern observed in a particular compressor. Measurements from a single-stage low-speed compressor and from a multistage high-speed compressor are presented in support of the model.

A Study of Spike and Modal Stall Phenomena in a Low-Speed Axial Compressor

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. Camp ◽  
I. J. Day
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Stability Criteria ◽  
Stall Inception ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Dimensional Instability

This paper presents a study of stall inception mechanisms a in low-speed axial compressor. Previous work has identified two common flow breakdown sequences, the first associated with a short lengthscale disturbance known as a ‘spike’, and the second with a longer lengthscale disturbance known as a ‘modal oscillation’. In this paper the physical differences between these two mechanisms are illustrated with detailed measurements. Experimental results are also presented which relate the occurrence of the two stalling mechanisms to the operating conditions of the compressor. It is shown that the stability criteria for the two disturbances are different: long lengthscale disturbances are related to a two-dimensional instability of the whole compression system, while short lengthscale disturbances indicate a three-dimensional breakdown of the flow-field associated with high rotor incidence angles. Based on the experimental measurements, a simple model is proposed which explains the type of stall inception pattern observed in a particular compressor. Measurements from a single stage low-speed compressor and from a multistage high-speed compressor are presented in support of the model.

scholarly journals Three-dimensional instability of axisymmetric flow in a rotating lid–cylinder enclosure

2001 ◽  
Vol 438 ◽  
pp. 363-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Yu. GELFGAT ◽  
P. Z. BAR-YOSEPH ◽  
A. SOLAN
Keyword(s):  
Stability Problem ◽  
Axisymmetric Flow ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Phase Velocities ◽  
Discrete Values ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Two Parameters ◽  
Dimensional Instability ◽  
Axisymmetric Instability ◽  
Axisymmetric Perturbations

The axisymmetry-breaking three-dimensional instability of the axisymmetric flow between a rotating lid and a stationary cylinder is analysed. The flow is governed by two parameters – the Reynolds number Re and the aspect ratio γ (=height/radius). Published experimental results indicate that in different ranges of γ axisymmetric or non-axisymmetric instabilities can be observed. Previous analyses considered only axisymmetric instability. The present analysis is devoted to the linear stability of the basic axisymmetric flow with respect to the non-axisymmetric perturbations. After the linearization the stability problem separates into a family of quasi-axisymmetric subproblems for discrete values of the azimuthal wavenumber k. The computations are done using the global Galerkin method. The stability analysis is carried out at various densely distributed values of γ in the range 1 < γ < 3.5. It is shown that the axisymmetric perturbations are dominant in the range 1.63 < γ < 2.76. Outside this range, for γ < 1.63 and for γ > 2.76, the instability is three-dimensional and sets in with k = 2 and k = 3 or 4, respectively. The azimuthal periodicity, patterns, characteristic frequencies and phase velocities of the dominant perturbations are discussed.

Experimental Study on the Stability of the Flow Behind an Accelerating Circular Cylinder

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Inasawa ◽  
K. Toda ◽  
M. Asai
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Circular Cylinder ◽  
Critical Reynolds Number ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Cylinder Wake ◽  
Global Instability ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Dimensional Instability ◽  
Wake Oscillation

Disturbance growth in the wake of a circular cylinder moving at a constant acceleration is examined experimentally. The cylinder is installed on a carriage moving in the still air. The results show that the critical Reynolds number for the onset of the global instability leading to a self-sustained wake oscillation increases with the magnitude of acceleration, while the Strouhal number of the growing disturbance at the critical Reynolds number is not strongly dependent on the magnitude of acceleration. It is also found that with increasing the acceleration, the Ka´rma´n vortex street remains two-dimensional even at the Reynolds numbers around 200 where the three-dimensional instability occurs to lead to the vortex dislocation in the case of cylinder moving at constant velocity or in the case of cylinder wake in the steady oncoming flow.

Stratification effects on the stability of columnar vortices on the f-plane

1998 ◽  
Vol 355 ◽  
pp. 45-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. POTYLITSIN ◽  
W. R. PELTIER
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Oceanic Islands ◽  
Density Stratification ◽  
Centrifugal Instability ◽  
Vortex Streets ◽  
Explicit Analysis ◽  
Karman Vortex ◽  
The Stability

We consider the stability with respect to three-dimensional perturbations of columnar vortices on the f-plane and as a function of the strength of a stabilizing density stratification parallel to the axis of the vortex. We seek to understand the dynamics of the processes through which such a vertically oriented barotropic vortex may be destabilized. As models of the basic vorticity distribution we consider both Kelvin–Helmholtz vortices in shear and ‘Kida-like’ vortices in strain. In the case of rotating unstratified flow, an isolated anticyclonic vortex column is shown to be strongly destabilized to three-dimensional perturbations by small values of the background rotation, while rapid rotation strongly stabilizes both anticyclonic and cyclonic columns, as expected on the basis of the Taylor–Proudman theorem. The dominant instability mechanism which drives the destruction of anticyclonic vortices in the presence of slow background rotation may be understood to constitute a three-dimensional inertial (centrifugal) instability. Through explicit analysis we show that sufficiently strong density stratification stabilizes the two-dimensional columnar structures to disruption by this and additional modes of instability that exist even in the absence of rotation. We furthermore demonstrate that there exists a second fundamental mode of instability in the presense of background rotation which affects only anticyclonic vortex columns whose cross-sections are elliptical. Only when the ellipticity of the vortex is sufficiently high does this mode dominate the centrifugal mode. The process whereby anticyclonic vortices may be selectively destroyed appears to provide a possible explanation of an asymmetry that is sometimes observed to be characteristic of the atmospheric von Kármán vortex streets that are observed in the lee of oceanic islands. The anticyclonic branch of the street often seems to be absent. More generally, the centrifugal mechanism for the selective destruction of anticyclones discussed herein very clearly explains a number of recent results obtained from both laboratory experiments and numerical simulations.

Magneto-gravitational convection in a vertical layer of ferrofluid in a uniform oblique magnetic field

2016 ◽  
Vol 795 ◽  
pp. 847-875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Habibur Rahman ◽  
Sergey A. Suslov
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Vertical Layer ◽  
Gravitational Convection ◽  
Magnetic Parameters ◽  
Instability Modes ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Dimensional Instability ◽  
Oblique Magnetic Field

The stability of base gravitational convection in a layer of ferrofluid confined between two vertical wide and tall non-magnetic plates, heated from one side, cooled from the other and placed in a uniform oblique external magnetic field is studied. Two distinct mechanisms, thermo-gravitational and thermo-magnetic, are found to be responsible for the appearance of various stationary and wave-like instability modes. The characteristics of all instability modes are investigated as functions of the orientation angles of the applied magnetic field and its magnitude for various values of magnetic parameters when both the thermo-magnetic and gravitational buoyancy mechanisms are active. The original three-dimensional problem is cast in an equivalent two-dimensional form using generalised Squire’s transformations, which significantly reduces a computational cost. Subsequently, full three-dimensional instability patterns are recovered using the inverse Squire’s transformation, and the optimal field and pattern orientations are determined.

Influence of optimally amplified streamwise streaks on the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability

2018 ◽  
Vol 838 ◽  
pp. 478-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Marant ◽  
Carlo Cossu
Keyword(s):  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Mixing Layer ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Basic Flow ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Helmholtz Instability ◽  
Flow Distortion ◽  
Streamwise Streaks ◽  
The Stability

The optimal energy amplifications of streamwise-uniform and spanwise-periodic perturbations of the hyperbolic-tangent mixing layer are computed and found to be very large, with maximum amplifications increasing with the Reynolds number and with the spanwise wavelength of the perturbations. The optimal initial conditions are streamwise vortices and the most amplified structures are streamwise streaks with sinuous symmetry in the cross-stream plane. The leading suboptimal perturbations have opposite (varicose) symmetry. When forced with finite amplitudes these perturbations modify the characteristics of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. Maximum temporal growth rates are reduced by optimal sinuous perturbations and are slightly increased by varicose suboptimal ones. In contrast, the onset of absolute instability is delayed by varicose suboptimal perturbations and is slightly promoted by sinuous optimal ones. We show that if, instead of the computed fully nonlinear basic-flow distortions, the stability analysis is based on a shape assumption for the flow distortions, then opposite effects on the flow stability are predicted in most of the considered cases. These strong differences are attributed to the spanwise-uniform component of the nonlinear basic-flow distortion which, we conclude, should be systematically included in sensitivity analyses of the stability of two-dimensional basic flows to three-dimensional basic-flow perturbations. We finally show that the leading-order quadratic sensitivity of the eigenvalues to the amplitude of the streaks is preserved if the effects of the mean flow distortion are included in the sensitivity analysis.

Turbulent wake behind side-by-side flat plates: computational study of interference effects

2018 ◽  
Vol 855 ◽  
pp. 1040-1073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh H. Dadmarzi ◽  
Vagesh D. Narasimhamurthy ◽  
Helge I. Andersson ◽  
Bjørnar Pettersen
Keyword(s):  
Shear Layer ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Mixing Layer ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Flat Plates ◽  
Layer Transition ◽  
Initial Flow ◽  
Plane Mixing Layer ◽  
Gap Flow ◽  
Dimensional Instability

The complex wake behind two side-by-side flat plates placed normal to the inflow direction has been explored in a direct numerical simulation study. Two gaps, $g=0.5d$ and $1.0d$ , were considered, both at a Reynolds number of 1000 based on the plate width $d$ and the inflow velocity. For gap ratio $g/d=0.5$ , the biased gap flow resulted in an asymmetric flow configuration consisting of a narrow wake with strong vortex shedding and a wide wake with no periodic near-wake shedding. Shear-layer transition vortices were observed in the wide wake, with characteristic frequency 0.6. For $g/d=1.0$ , two simulations were performed, started from a symmetric and an asymmetric initial flow field. A symmetric configuration of Kármán vortices resulted from the first simulation. Surprisingly, however, two different three-dimensional instability features were observed simultaneously along the span of the upper and lower plates. The spanwise wavelengths of these secondary streamwise vortices, formed in the braid regions of the primary Kármán vortices, were approximately $1d$ and $2d$ , respectively. The wake bursts into turbulence some $5d$ – $10d$ downstream. The second simulation resulted in an asymmetric wake configuration similar to the asymmetric wake found for the narrow gap $0.5d$ , with the appearance of shear-layer instabilities in the wide wake. The analogy between a plane mixing layer and the separated shear layer in the wide wake was examined. The shear-layer frequencies obtained were in close agreement with the frequency of the most amplified wave based on linear stability analysis of a plane mixing layer.

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