Structural changes of laminar separation bubbles induced by global linear instability

The topology of the composite flow fields reconstructed by linear superposition of a two-dimensional boundary layer flow with an embedded laminar separation bubble and its leading three-dimensional global eigenmodes has been studied. According to critical point theory, the basic flow is structurally unstable; it is shown that in the presence of three-dimensional disturbances the degenerate basic flow topology is replaced by a fully three-dimensional pattern, regardless of the amplitude of the superposed linear perturbations. Attention has been focused on the leading stationary eigenmode of the laminar separation bubble discovered by Theofilis; the composite flow fields have been fully characterized with respect to the generation and evolution of their critical points. The stationary global mode is shown to give rise to a three-dimensional flow field which is equivalent to the classical U-shaped separation, defined by Hornung & Perry, and induces topologies on the surface streamlines that are resemblant to the characteristic stall cells observed experimentally

Three-dimensional instabilities of compressible flow over open cavities: direct solution of the BiGlobal eigenvalue problem

We report progress in our ongoing effort to compute and understand the instabilities of open cavity flows from incompressible to supersonic speeds. We consider three-dimensional instabilities of nominally two dimensional (spanwise homogeneous) cavity flows (BiGlobal instabilities). Experiments, DNS/LES computations, and preliminary instability computations have shown that the modes of oscillation are influenced by complex interactions between the shear layer and the recirculating flow within the cavity. We present here a framework for computation of the two-dimensional eigenvalue problem for the compressible open cavity. We validate the numerical scheme by computing several canonical flows: square duct flow, boundary layers at speeds from incompressible to supersonic, and two-dimensional parallel shear layers. We present preliminary results for the three-dimensional modes of the compressible open cavity flow with length-to-depth ratio of two at a Mach number of 0.325

Three-dimensional flow instability in a lid-driven isosceles triangular cavity

Linear three-dimensional modal instability of steady laminar two-dimensional states developing in a lid-driven cavity of isosceles triangular cross-section is investigated theoretically and experimentally for the case in which the equal sides form a rectangular corner. An asymmetric steady two-dimensional motion is driven by the steady motion of one of the equal sides. If the side moves away from the rectangular corner, a stationary three-dimensional instability is found. If the motion is directed towards the corner, the instability is oscillatory. The respective critical Reynolds numbers are identified both theoretically and experimentally. The neutral curves pertinent to the two configurations and the properties of the respective leading eigenmodes are documented and analogies to instabilities in rectangular lid-driven cavities are discussed

Lattice Boltzmann methods for global linear instability analysis

Modal global linear instability analysis is performed using, for the first time ever, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to analyze incompressible flows with two and three inhomogeneous spatial directions. Four linearization models have been implemented in order to recover the linearized Navier–Stokes equations in the incompressible limit. Two of those models employ the single relaxation time and have been proposed previously in the literature as linearization of the collision operator of the lattice Boltzmann equation. Two additional models are derived herein for the first time by linearizing the local equilibrium probability distribution function. Instability analysis results are obtained in three benchmark problems, two in closed geometries and one in open flow, namely the square and cubic lid-driven cavity flow and flow in the wake of the circular cylinder. Comparisons with results delivered by classic spectral element methods verify the accuracy of the proposed new methodologies and point potential limitations particular to the LBM approach. The known issue of appearance of numerical instabilities when the SRT model is used in direct numerical simulations employing the LBM is shown to be reflected in a spurious global eigenmode when the SRT model is used in the instability analysis. Although this mode is absent in the multiple relaxation times model, other spurious instabilities can also arise and are documented herein. Areas of potential improvements in order to make the proposed methodology competitive with established approaches for global instability analysis are discussed

Structure and Anticipatory Movements of the S6 Gate in K v Channels

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Formation of Three-Dimensional Structures in the Hemisphere-Cylinder

This paper presents an investigation of the origin and evolution of the complex flow pattern on a hemisphere-cylinder at separated flow conditions. Three-dimensional numerical simulations have been performed for a range of Reynolds numbers and angles of attack. A critical point theory has been used to analyze the flowfields. This has yielded, for the first time for this geometry, a bifurcation diagram that classifies the different flow topology regimes as a function of the Reynolds number and angle of attack. A complete characterization of the origin and evolution of the complex structural patterns of this geometry is documented. For the higher Reynolds number and angle of attack, a structurally stable topology is found that is associated with the pattern of the horn vortices, usually found on this geometry in a range from low to high Reynolds numbers and from incompressible to compressible regimes. Surface critical points and surface and volume streamlines describe the main flow structures and their strong dependence with the flow conditions

Linear modal instabilities of hypersonic flow over an elliptic cone

Steady laminar flow over a rounded-tip 2 : 1 elliptic cone of 0.86 m length at zero angle of attack and yaw has been computed at Mach number 7.45 and unit Reynolds number Re′ = 1.015 × 107 m−1. The flow conditions are selected to match the planned flight of the Hypersonic Flight Research Experimentation HIFiRE-5 test geometry at an altitude of 21.8 km. Spatial linear BiGlobal modal instability analysis of this flow has been performed at selected streamwise locations on planes normal to the cone symmetry axis, resolving the entire flow domain in a coupled manner while exploiting flow symmetries. Four amplified classes of linear eigenmodes have been unravelled. The shear layer formed near the cone minor-axis centreline gives rise to amplified symmetric and antisymmetric centreline instability modes, classified as shear-layer instabilities. At the attachment line formed along the major axis of the cone, both symmetric and antisymmetric instabilities are also discovered and identified as boundary-layer second Mack modes. In both cases of centreline and attachment-line modes, symmetric instabilities are found to be more unstable than their antisymmetric counterparts. Furthermore, spatial BiGlobal analysis is used for the first time to resolve oblique second modes and cross-flow instabilities in the boundary layer between the major- and minor-axis meridians. Contrary to predictions for the incompressible regime for swept infinite wing flow, the cross-flow instabilities are not found to be linked to the attachment-line instabilities. In fact, cross-flow modes peak along most of the surface of the cone, but vanish towards the attachment line. On the other hand, the leading oblique second modes peak near the leading edge and their associated frequencies are in the range of the attachment-line instability frequencies. Consequently, the attachment-line instabilities are observed to be related to oblique second modes at the major-axis meridian. The linear amplification of centreline and attachment-line instability modes is found to be strong enough to lead to laminar–turbulent flow transition within the length of the test object. The predictions of global linear theory are compared with those of local instability analysis, also performed here under the assumption of locally parallel flow, where use of this assumption is permissible. Fair agreement is obtained for symmetric centreline and symmetric attachment-line modes, while for all other classes of linear disturbances use of the proposed global analysis methodology is warranted for accurate linear instability predictions

An Algorithm for the Recovery of 2- and 3-D BiGlobal Instabilities of Compressible Flow Over 2-D Open Cavities

The identification of numerical residuals from direct numerical simulations (DNS) with the least-damped BiGlobal eigenmodes of an underlying steady-state permits extraction of both the steady-state and amplitude functions of the BiGlobal eigenmodes from simple algebraic operations. Algorithms for the calculation of the basic state and the spatial structure of the related BiGlobal eigenmodes from transient DNS data have been constructed and presented. Here we extend initial calculations for the (closed) incompressible lid-driven cavity to the related (compressible) open-cavity flow. Order-of-magnitude savings are demonstrated when using of the discussed algorithm for the calculation of the basic state, compared with straightforward time-integration of the equations of motion until convergence in time. Further, employing this algorithm, different classes of instabilities in the open cavity are unified in the framework of BiGlobal instability analysis