Abstract
In channels that are rotating (about a spanwise axis) or curved, or both curved and rotating, steady two-dimensional vortices develop above a critical Reynolds number Re c . The stability of these streamwise-oriented roll cells to spanwise-periodic perturbations of different wavelength than the vortices (i.e. Eckhaus stability) is examined numerically using linear stability theory and spectral methods. In curved and/or rotating channels, the Eckhaus stability boundary is found to be a small closed loop. Within the boundary, two-dimensional vortices are stable to spanwise perturbations. Outside the boundary, Eckhaus instability is found to cause the vortex pairs to split apart or merge together in a manner similar to that observed in recent experiments. For all channels examined, two-dimensional vortices are always unstable when Re > 1.7Re c . Usually the most unstable spanwise perturbations are subharmonic disturbances, which cause two pairs of vortices with small wavenumbers to be split apart by the formation of a new vortex pair, but cause two pairs of vortices with large wavenumber to merge into a single pair. In nonlinear flow simulations presented here and in experiments, most observed wavenumbers are close to those that are least unstable to spanwise perturbations.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Reference
Ligrani, P. & Niver, R.D. 1988 Phys. Fluids 31, 3605–3618
Alfredsson, P.A. & and Persson, H. 1989 J. Fluid Mech. 202, 543–557.
Matsson, J.O.E. & Alfredsson, P.H. 1990 J. Fluid Mech. 202, 543–557
Eckhaus, W. 1965 Studies in nonlinear stability theory. Springer, New York.
Riecke, H. & Paap, H. 1986 Phys. Rev. A 33, 547–553
Jones, C.A. 1985 J. Compt. Phys. 61, 32–344
Finlay, W.H., Keller, J.B. & Ferziger, J.H. 1988 J. Fluid Mech. 194, 417–456
Finlay, W.H. 1990 J. Fluid Mech. 215, 209–227
Paap, H. & Riecke, H. 1990 Phys. Rev. A 41, 1943–1951
Kelleher, M.D., Flentie, D.L. & McKee, R.J. 1980 J. Fluids Engng. 102, 92–96
Guo, Y. & Finlay, W. H. 1991 J. Fluid. Mech. 228: 661–691.
Moser, R.D., Moin, P. & Leonard, A. 1983 J. Comp. Phys. 52, 524–544
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Finlay, W.H., Guo, Y. (1992). Splitting, Merging and Wavelength Selection of Vortex Pairs in Curved and/or Rotating Channels. In: Andereck, C.D., Hayot, F. (eds) Ordered and Turbulent Patterns in Taylor-Couette Flow. NATO ASI Series, vol 297. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3438-9_28
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3438-9_28
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6521-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-3438-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive