Tricritical spiral vortex instability in cross-slot flow

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

Simon J. Haward (Author) Other; Robert J. Poole (Author) Other; Manuel A. Alves (Author) FEUP; Paulo J. Oliveira (Author) Other; Nigel Goldenfeld (Author) Other; Amy Q. Shen (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Physical review. E

Vol. 93 No. 3

Pages: 031101-1-031101-5

ISSN: 2470-0045

Publisher: American Physical Society

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 15 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 28 Citations

INSPEC

Associated Projects

Elastic-Turbulence - Purely-elastic flow instabilities and transition to elastic turbulence in microscale flows of complex fluids

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00K-98E

DOI: 10.1103/physreve.93.031101

Abstract (EN): We examine fluid flow through cross-slot devices with various depth to width ratios alpha. At low Reynolds number, R-e, flow is symmetric and a sharp boundary exists between the two incoming fluid streams. Above an alpha-dependent critical value, Re-c(alpha), a steady symmetry-breaking bifurcation occurs and a spiral vortex structure develops. Order parameters characterizing the instability grow according to a sixth-order Landau potential, and show a progression from second- to first-order transitions as alpha increases beyond a tricritical value of alpha approximate to 0.55. Flow simulations indicate the instability is driven by vortex stretching at the stagnation point.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5