ALBERT

Description: In this work we study the convection flow driven by a heat-releasing concentration field which itself is stably stratified. The heat-releasing rate is linearly proportional to concentration. Linear stability analysis is conducted to determine the critical heat-releasing rate for given fluid properties and concentration differences. The most unstable mode associated with the critical heat-releasing rate can be oscillatory for a large concentration Rayleigh number, i.e. the non-dimensionalized concentration difference and large Schmidt number, i.e. the ratio of viscosity to diffusivity of the concentration component. Fully developed flows are then investigated by direct numerical simulations. Flow structures near the bottom plate have larger horizontal scales than those near the top plate. The concentration in the bulk is almost constant and takes a similar value for all the explored parameters, which results in the convective flux increasing linearly with height. To explain the dependences of the global transport properties, we extend the unifying theory of the Rayleigh–Bénard convection to the current system and develop scaling laws for the global fluxes. The numerical results can be described accurately by the theoretical model.

Description: The primary instability of the flow past rectangular cylinders is studied to comprehensively describe the influence of the aspect ratio $AR$ and of rounding the leading- and/or trailing-edge corners. Aspect ratios ranging between $0.25$ and $30$ are considered. We show that the critical Reynolds number ( $extit {Re}_c$ ) corresponding to the primary instability increases with the aspect ratio, starting from $extit {Re}_c approx 34.8$ for $AR=0.25$ to a value of $extit {Re}_c approx 140$ for $AR = 30$ . The unstable mode and its dependence on the aspect ratio are described. We find that positioning a small circular cylinder in the flow modifies the instability in a way strongly depending on the aspect ratio. The rounded corners affect the primary instability in a way that depends on both the aspect ratio and the curvature radius. For small $AR$ , rounding the leading-edge corners has always a stabilising effect, whereas rounding the trailing-edge corners is destabilising, although for large curvature radii only. For intermediate $AR$ , instead, rounding the leading-edge corners has a stabilising effect limited to small curvature radii only, while for $AR geqslant 5$ it has always a destabilising effect. In contrast, for $AR geqslant 2$ rounding the trailing-edge corners consistently increases $extit {Re}_c$ . Interestingly, when all the corners are rounded, the flow becomes more stable, at all aspect ratios. An explanation for the stabilising and destabilising effect of the rounded corners is provided.

Description: The three-dimensional flow topology of a laminar separation bubble forming on the suction surface of a semispan wing with an aspect ratio of $2.5$ and NACA 0018 airfoil section is characterised experimentally using surface pressure measurements and particle image velocimetry at a chord Reynolds number of $125 000$ . In the inboard region of the wing, the separation bubble is essentially two-dimensional, and the transition process in the separated shear layer leads to periodic vortex shedding, which dominates the bubble dynamics, similar to two-dimensional separation bubbles. However, progressive spanwise changes in the mean structure and vortex dynamics occur near the wingtip, leading to an open separation and eventual suppression of the bubble. In the immediate proximity of the wingtip, the boundary layer remains attached, no vortex shedding occurs and the flow remains laminar, terminating separation bubble formation. Despite variations in the mean separation bubble topology and vortex dynamics along the span, the fundamental shedding characteristics remain nearly invariant across the portion of the wing where vortex shedding occurs, and the flow appears to lock onto a common instability mode across the span, leading to minimal changes in the mean bubble characteristics despite notable changes in the effective angle of attack along the span. A comparison with available surface flow visualisations from previous studies indicates that the observed changes to the mean bubble footprint along the span of the wing are similar across different geometries and flow characteristics, suggesting similarities in the three-dimensional bubble topology and dynamics on finite wings.

Description: Drop deformation in fluid flows is investigated as an exchange between the kinetic energy of the fluid and the surface energy of the drop. We show analytically that this energetic exchange is controlled only by the stretching (or compression) of the drop surface by the rate-of-strain tensor. This mechanism is analogous to the stretching of the vorticity field in turbulence. By leveraging the non-local nature of turbulence dynamics, we introduce a new decomposition that isolates the energetic exchange arising from local drop-induced surface effects from the non-local action of turbulent fluctuations. We perform direct numerical simulations of single inertial drops in isotropic turbulence and show that an important contribution to the increments of the surface energy arises from the non-local stretching of the fluid–fluid interface by eddies far from the drop surface (outer eddies). We report that this mechanism is dominant and independent of surface dynamics in a range of Weber numbers in which drop breakup occurs. These findings shed new light on drop deformation and breakup in turbulent flows, and opens the possibility for the improvement and simplification of breakup models.

Description: The initial flow past an impulsively started translating circular cylinder is asymptotically analysed using a Brinkman penalization method on the Navier–Stokes equations. The asymptotic solution obtained shows that the tangential and normal slip velocities on the cylinder surface are of the order of $1/sqrt {lambda }$ and $1/lambda$ , respectively, within the second approximation of the present asymptotic analysis, where $lambda$ is the penalization parameter. This result agrees with the estimation of Carbou & Fabrie (Adv. Diff. Equ., vol. 8, 2003, pp. 1453–1480). Based on the asymptotic solution, the influence of the penalization parameter $lambda$ is discussed on the drag coefficient that is calculated using the adopted three formulae. It can then be found that the drag coefficient calculated from the integration of the penalization term exhibits a half-value of the results of Bar-Lev & Yang (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 72, 1975, pp. 625–647) as $lambda o infty$ .

Description: The dynamics of suspensions plays a crucial role in the evolution of geophysical systems such as lava lakes, magma chambers and magma oceans. During their cooling and solidification, these magmatic bodies involve convective viscous fluids and dispersed solid crystals that can form either a cumulate or a floating lid by sedimentation. We study such systems based on internal heating convection experiments in high Prandtl fluids bearing plastic beads. We aim to determine the conditions required to produce a floating lid or a sedimented deposit. We show that, although the sign of particles buoyancy is the key parameter, it is not sufficient to predict the particles fate. To complement the model we introduce the Shields formalism and couple it with scaling laws describing convection. We propose a generalized Shields number that enables a self-consistent description of the fate of particles in the system, especially the possibility to segregate from the convective bulk. We provide a quantification of the partition of the mass of particles in the different potential reservoirs (bulk suspension, floating lid, settled cumulate) through reconciling the suspension stability framework with the Shields formalism. We illustrate the geophysical implications of the model by revisiting the problem of the stability of flotation crusts on solidifying rocky bodies.

Description: The effect of wall temperature on the transfer of kinetic energy in a hypersonic turbulent boundary layer for different Mach numbers and wall temperature ratios is studied by direct numerical simulation. A cold wall temperature can enhance the compressibility effect in the near-wall region through increasing the temperature gradient and wall heat flux. It is shown that the cold wall temperature enhances the local reverse transfer of kinetic energy from small scales to large scales, and suppresses the local direct transfer of kinetic energy from large scales to small scales. The average filtered spatial convection and average filtered viscous dissipation are dominant in the near-wall region, while the average subgrid-scale flux of kinetic energy achieves its peak value in the buffer layer. It is found that the wall can suppress the inter-scale transfer of kinetic energy, especially for the situation of a cold wall. A strong local reverse transfer of fluctuating kinetic energy is identified in the buffer layer in the inertial range. Helmholtz decomposition is applied to analyse the compressibility effect on the subgrid-scale flux of kinetic energy. A strong transfer of the solenoidal component of fluctuating kinetic energy is identified in the buffer layer, while a significant transfer of the dilatational component of fluctuating kinetic energy is observed in the near-wall region. It is also shown that compression motions have a major contribution to the direct transfer of fluctuating kinetic energy, while expansion motions play a marked role in the reverse transfer of fluctuating kinetic energy.

Description: Particle suspensions in non-Newtonian liquid matrices are frequently encountered in nature and industrial applications. We here study the Taylor–Couette flow (TCF) of semidilute spherical particle suspensions (volume fraction $leq 0.1$ ) in viscoelastic, constant-viscosity liquids (Boger fluids). We describe the influence of particle load on various flow transitions encountered in TCF of such fluids, and on the nature of these transitions. Particle addition is found to delay the onset of first- and second-order transitions, thus stabilising laminar flows. It also renders them hysteretic, suggesting an effect on the nature of bifurcations. The transition to elasto-inertial turbulence (EIT) is shown to be delayed by the presence of particles, and the features of EIT altered, with preserved spatio-temporal large scales. These results imply that particle loading and viscoelasticity, which are known to destabilise the flow when considered separately, can on the other hand compete with one another and ultimately stabilise the flow when considered together.

Description: In this study, large-eddy simulations are utilised to unravel the influence of the nozzle's external geometry on upstream-travelling waves in under-expanded supersonic impinging jets. Three configurations, a thin-lipped, a thin-lipped with a sponge and an infinite-lipped nozzle are considered with the other non-dimensionalised geometrical and flow variables identical for the three cases. Spectral proper orthogonal decomposition is applied to the Mack norm, i.e. the energy norm based on the stagnation energy, to obtain the spatial modes at their corresponding frequency. The spectral decomposition of the spatial modes at optimal and suboptimal frequencies is used to isolate the wavepackets into upstream- and downstream-propagating waves based on their phase velocity. It is found that the external geometry of the nozzle has a significant influence on the first-order statistics even though the governing non-dimensional parameters are the same for all three cases. Multiple peaks emerge in the energy spectra at distinct frequencies corresponding to axisymmetric azimuthal modes for each case. The downstream-propagating wavepackets have a high amplitude at the shear layer of the three jets with the mode shapes resembling Kelvin–Helmholtz instability waves, while the upstream-travelling wavepackets exist in the three regions of the near field, shear layer and inside of the jet. The barrel shock at the nozzle exit appears as a flexible shield, which prevents upstream-travelling waves from reaching the internal region of the nozzle, where the upstream-travelling waves travel obliquely with one side of the wavefront is crawling on the reflected shock while the other side is guided by the shear layer. These latter waves can reach the nozzle lip via inside of the jet. The spectral decomposition of the spatial modes at optimal and suboptimal frequencies show that all three forms of the near field, shear layer and inside jet upstream-travelling wavepackets contribute to the receptivity process while their contributions and strength are altered by the change of the external geometry of the nozzle.

Description: Long and slender liquid filaments are produced during inkjet printing, which can subsequently either retract to form a single droplet, or break up to form a primary droplet and one or more satellite droplets. These satellite droplets are undesirable since they degrade the quality and reproducibility of the print, and lead to contamination within the enclosure of the print device. Existing strategies for the suppression of satellite droplet formation include, among others, adding viscoelasticity to the ink. In the present work, we aim to improve the understanding of the role of viscoelasticity in suppressing satellite droplets in inkjet printing. We demonstrate that very dilute viscoelastic aqueous solutions ( $ext {concentrations} sim 0.003,\%$  wt. polyethylene oxide, corresponding to nozzle Deborah number $De_{n}sim 3$ ) can suppress satellite droplet formation. Furthermore, we show that, for a given driving condition, upper and lower bounds of polymer concentration exist, within which satellite droplets are suppressed. Satellite droplets are formed at concentrations below the lower bound, while jetting ceases for concentrations above the upper bound (for fixed driving conditions). Moreover, we observe that, with concentrations in between the two bounds, the filaments retract at velocities larger than the corresponding Taylor–Culick velocity for the Newtonian case. We show that this enhanced retraction velocity can be attributed to the elastic tension due to polymer stretching, which builds up during the initial jetting phase. These results shed some light on the complex interplay between inertia, capillarity and viscoelasticity for retracting liquid filaments, which is important for the stability and quality of inkjet printing of polymer solutions.