We report on the transition between two regimes of heat transport in a radiatively driven convection experiment, where a fluid gets heated up within a tunable heating length $\ell$ in the vicinity of the bottom of the tank. The first regime is similar to that observed in standard Rayleigh–Bénard experiments, the Nusselt number $Nu$ being related to the Rayleigh number $Ra$ through the power law $Nu\sim Ra^{1/3}$. The second regime corresponds to the ‘ultimate’ or mixing-length scaling regime of thermal convection, where $Nu$ varies as the square root of $Ra$. Evidence for these two scaling regimes has been reported in Lepot et al. (Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, vol. 115, 2018, pp. 8937–8941), and we now study in detail how the system transitions from one to the other. We propose a simple model describing radiatively driven convection in the mixing-length regime. It leads to the scaling relation $Nu\sim (\ell /H)Pr^{1/2}Ra^{1/2}$, where $H$ is the height of the cell and $Pr$ is the Prandtl number, thereby allowing us to deduce the values of $Ra$ and $Nu$ at which the system transitions from one regime to the other. These predictions are confirmed by the experimental data gathered at various $Ra$ and $\ell$. We conclude by showing that boundary layer corrections can persistently modify the Prandtl number dependence of $Nu$ at large $Ra$, for $Pr\gtrsim 1$.

Magnetohydrodynamic squeeze films are investigated theoretically and experimentally. The theory of magnetohydrodynamic lubrication as applied to squeeze films is extended to include fluid-inertia effects and buoyant forces. Excellent agreement is obtained between theory and experiment.

Consideration is given to the effects of gravity which arise when a heated sphere, maintained at a steady uniform temperature, is located in a vertical uniform stream. Restricting analysis to a medium of unit Prandtl number (σ), the method of matched asymptotic expansions is employed in obtaining solutions for the velocity, temperature and pressure fields in the limit: G = o(R2), R ↓ 0 (G and R being, respectively, the Grashof and Reynolds numbers). Based on these results, conjectures are formed about the corresponding pure natural convection problem.

We present the results of a combined experimental and numerical study of the generation of internal waves using the novel internal wave generator design of Gostiaux et al. (Exp. Fluids, vol. 42, 2007, pp. 123–130). This mechanism, which involves a tunable source composed of oscillating plates, has so far been used for a few fundamental studies of internal waves, but its full potential is yet to be realized. Our study reveals that this approach is capable of producing a wide variety of two-dimensional wave fields, including plane waves, wave beams and discrete vertical modes in finite-depth stratifications. The effects of discretization by a finite number of plates, forcing amplitude and angle of propagation are investigated, and it is found that the method is remarkably efficient at generating a complete wave field despite forcing only one velocity component in a controllable manner. We furthermore find that the nature of the radiated wave field is well predicted using Fourier transforms of the spatial structure of the wave generator.

A simplified one-dimensional partial differential equation for the integral axial momentum flux during the deceleration phase of single-pulsed transient incompressible jets is derived and solved analytically. The wave speed of the derived first-order nonlinear wave equation shows that the momentum flux transient from the deceleration phase propagates downstream at twice the initial jet penetration rate. Transient-jet velocity data from the existing literature is shown to be consistent with this derivation, and an algebraic analytical solution matches the measured timing and decay of axial velocity after the deceleration transient. The solution also shows that a wave of increased entrainment accompanies the deceleration transient as it travels downstream through the jet. In the long-time limit, the peak entrainment rate at the leading edge of this ‘entrainment wave’ approaches an asymptotic value of three times that of the initial steady jet. The rate of approach to the asymptotic behaviour is controlled by the deceleration rate, which suggests that rate-shaping may be tailored to achieve a desired mixing state at a given time after the end of a single-pulsed jet. In the wake of the entrainment wave, the absolute entrainment rate eventually decays to zero. The local injected fluid concentration also decays, however, so that entrainment rate relative to the local concentration of injected fluid remains higher than in the initial steady jet. An analysis of diesel engine fuel-jets is provided as one example of a transient-jet application in which the considerable increase in the mixing rate after the deceleration phase has important implications.

Inviscid spatially compact vortices (such as the Rankine vortex) have discrete Kelvin modes. For these modes, the critical radius, at which the rotation frequency of the wave matches the angular velocity of the fluid, lies outside the vortex core. When such a vortex is not perfectly compact, but has a weak vorticity distribution beyond the core, these Kelvin disturbances are singular at the critical radius and become ‘quasi-modes’. These are not true eigenmodes but have streamfunction perturbations that decay exponentially with time while the associated vorticity wraps up into a tight spiral without decay. We use a matched asymptotic expansion to derive a simplified description of weakly nonlinear, externally forced quasi-modes.

We consider the excitation and subsequent evolution of finite-amplitude quasi- modes excited with azimuthal wavenumber 2. Provided the forcing amplitude is below a certain critical amplitude, the quasi-mode decays and the disturbed vortex returns to axisymmetry. If the amplitude of the forcing is above critical, then nonlinear effects arrest the decay and cat's eye patterns form. Thus the vortex is permanently deformed into a tripolar structure.

It is shown that the principal non-linear interaction of inviscid inertial modes does not produce a resonant response in the steady geostrophic circulation. The rectified geostrophic flow manifested in a closed rotating container by a periodic excitation seems to result from a combination of viscous and non-linear effects within the boundary layers.

Large-eddy simulations of a cavity configuration yielding a mean flow that exhibits spanwise asymmetry are carried out. Results from the computations reveal that the asymmetry is due to a bifurcation of the whole flow field inside the cavity. It is demonstrated that the bifurcation originates in an inviscid confinement effect induced by the lateral walls. The branch of the bifurcation can be selected by slightly altering the incoming mean flow. Further investigations show that underlying steady spanwise modulations of velocity are amplified under the influence of the lateral walls. The modulation of the streamwise velocity component has the largest energy content and its dominant wavelength contaminates both vertical velocity and pressure. Complementary to these linear interactions, nonlinear energy transfers from streamwise velocity to pressure are also found. A transient analysis highlights the stiff transition from a symmetrical two-structure non-bifurcated flow to a stable unsymmetrical one-and-a-half-structure bifurcated flow. The switch to the bifurcated flow induces an alteration of the Rossiter aero–acoustic loop yielding a change in the dominant Rossiter mode and the appearance of a nonlinear harmonic of the first mode.

Breaking waves on the ocean surface transfer energy and momentum into currents and turbulence. What is less well understood, however, is the associated total loss of wave energy and momentum flux. Further, finding a robust and universal diagnostic parameter that determines the onset of breaking and its strength is still an open question. Derakhti & Kirby (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 761, 2014, pp. 464–506) have recently studied bubble entrainment and turbulence modulation by dispersed bubbles in isolated unsteady breaking waves using large-eddy simulation. In this paper, a new diagnostic parameter ${\it\xi}(t)$ is defined based on that originally proposed by Song & Banner (J. Phys. Oceanogr., vol. 32, 2002, pp. 2541–2558), and it is shown that using a threshold value of ${\it\xi}_{th}=0.05$, the new dynamic criteria is capable of detecting single and multiple breaking events in the considered packets. In addition, the spatial variation of the total energy and momentum flux in intermediate- and deep-water unsteady breaking waves generated by dispersive focusing is investigated. The accuracy of estimating these integral measures based on free surface measurements and using a characteristic wave group velocity is addressed. It is found that the new diagnostic parameter just before breaking, ${\it\xi}_{b}$, has a strong linear correlation with the commonly used breaking strength parameter $b$, suggesting that ${\it\xi}_{b}$ can be used to parameterize the averaged breaking-induced dissipation rate and its associated energy flux loss. It is found that the global wave packet time and length scales based on the spectrally weighted packet frequency proposed by Tian et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 655, 2010, pp. 217–257), are the reasonable estimations of the time and length scales of the carrier wave in the packet close to the focal/break point. A global wave steepness, $S_{s}$, is defined based on these spectrally weighted scales, and its spatial variation across the breaking region is examined. It is shown that the corresponding values of $S_{s}$ far upstream of breaking, $S_{s0}$, have a strong linear correlation with respect to $b$ for the considered focused wave packets. The linear relation, however, cannot provide accurate estimations of $b$ in the range $b<5\times 10^{-3}$. A new scaling law given by $b=0.3(S_{s0}-0.07)^{5/2}$, which is consistent with inertial wave dissipation scaling of Drazen et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 611, 2008, pp. 307–332), is shown to be capable of providing accurate estimates of $b$ in the full range of breaking intensities, where the scatter of data in the new formulation is significantly decreased compared with that proposed by Romero et al. (J. Phys. Oceanogr., vol. 42, 2012, pp. 1421–1444). Furthermore, we examine nonlinear interactions of different components in a focused wave packet, noting interactive effect on a characteristic wave group velocity in both non-breaking and breaking packets. Phase locking between spectral components is observed in the breaking region as well, and subsequently illustrated by calculating the wavelet bispectrum.

The problem of oscillatory viscous flow in a tube with rigid sinusoidal walls of large amplitude is solved numerically, for Reynolds numbers up to 300 and Strouhal numbers in the range 10−4–1. Flow visualization photographs have confirmed qualitatively many of the predictions. Results analogous to those of Sobey (1980, 1983) for the two-dimensional problem have been obtained for regions of the parameter space studied in detail by that author. However, new flow structures are found in the previously neglected Strouhal number range of 0.02–0.1. These flows are characterized by significant interaction of flow events in successive half-cycles, due to the persistence of strong shed vortices. Bifurcation of the solution structure can then occur for Strouhal numbers between about 0.025 and 0.045, with the development of time-asymmetric flows: thus the velocity field at some instant of a positive-flow half-cycle may not be equal to minus the velocity field at the corresponding instant of a negative-flow half-cycle.

We present a numerical study of the impact of a two-dimensional plunging wave on a rigid vertical wall in the context of potential flow. The plunging wave impinging the wall is generated using a mixed-Eulerian-Lagrangian (MEL) boundary-integral scheme. The initial stage of the impact is characterized by an oblique impact of a liquid wedge on the wall and is solved using a similarity solution. Following the initial impact, the MEL simulation is continued to capture the transient impact process. The effect of an air cushion trapped between the plunger and the wall is considered. In addition to details such as temporal evolutions and surface profiles, the main interests are the maximum impact pressure on the wall and its rise time. To arrive at appropriate scaling laws for these, simulations are performed and correlations are explored for a broad range of local plunging wave kinematic and geometric parameters. To assess the present results, direct comparisons are made with the experiment of Chan & Melville (1988). Reasonable quantitative agreement is obtained and likely sources for discrepancies are identified and discussed.

Film-thickness measurements on some liquids flowing down vertical surfaces gave values higher than those given by Nusselt's theory. This was shown to be due to the presence of waves on the film surface, and the discrepancy is thought to be due mainly to the omission from Nusselt's theory of the factors causing wave motion. The authors have investigated flow in films of water on a rotating disk to find whether or not this discrepancy between the actual and theoretical thickness, as calculated by laminar-flow film theory, occur in this case also.

The aim of this work is to investigate the tensorial filtration law in rigid porous media for steady-state slow flow of an electrically conducting, incompressible and viscous Newtonian fluid in the presence of a magnetic field. The seepage law under a magnetic field is obtained by upscaling the flow at the pore scale. The macroscopic magnetic field and electric flux are also obtained. We use the method of multiple-scale expansions which gives rigorously the macroscopic behaviour without any preconditions on the form of the macroscopic equations. For finite Hartmann number, i.e. ε [Lt ] Ha [Lt ] ε−1, and finite load factor, i.e. ε [Lt ] [Kscr ] [Lt ] ε−1, where ε characterizes the separation of scales, the macroscopic mass flow and electric current are coupled and both depend on the macroscopic gradient of pressure and the electric field. The effective coefficients satisfy the Onsager relations. In particular, the filtration law is shown to resemble Darcy's law but with an additional term proportional to the electric field. The permeability tensor, which strongly depends on the magnetic induction, i.e. Hartmann number, is symmetric, positive and satisfies the filtration analogue of the Hall effect.

This paper presents a similarity solution for plane channel flow of a very viscous fluid, whose viscosity is exponentially dependent upon temperature, when heat generation is very large. A dimensionless formulation of the problem involves two length scales (the depth h and length l, respectively, of the channel), one velocity scale (the mean velocity V of the fluid along the channel), the thermal conductivity k, thermal diffusivity k and viscosity V of the fluid, and the temperature coefficient b of the viscosity. From these, two important dimensionless groups arise, the Graetz number (Gz = Vh2/kl) and the Nahme–Griffith number (G = μ V2b/k). In the case of steady flow with G−1 [Lt ] Gz−1 [Lt ] 1 a thin thermal boundary layer of thickness proportional to Gz−½ arises at each wall with an even thinner shear layer, detached from the wall and embedded in the thermal boundary layer, of thickness proportional to Gz−½(ln G)−1, coinciding with the region of maximum temperature (ln G)/b. The similarity variable is (Pe½y/x½) where Pe is the Péclet number (Vh/k) and y and x are measured away from and along (either) boundary wall. The analogous unsteady uniform flow solution is also given.

The flapping flight of tiny insects such as flies or larger insects such as butterflies is of fundamental interest not only in biology itself but also in its practical use for the development of micro air vehicles (MAVs). It is known that a butterfly flaps downward for generating the lift force and backward for generating the thrust force. In this study, we consider a simple butterfly-like flapping wing–body model in which the body is a thin rod and the rectangular rigid wings flap in a simple motion. We investigate lift and thrust generation of the model by using the immersed boundary–lattice Boltzmann method. First, we compute the lift and thrust forces when the body of the model is fixed for Reynolds numbers in the range of 50–1000. In addition, we estimate the supportable mass for each Reynolds number from the computed lift force. Second, we simulate free flights when the body can only move translationally. It is found that the expected supportable mass can be supported even in the free flight except when the mass of the body relative to the mass of the fluid is too small, and the wing–body model with the mass of actual insects can go upward against the gravity. Finally, we simulate free flights when the body can move translationally and rotationally. It is found that the body has a large pitch motion and consequently gets off-balance. Then, we discuss a way to control the pitching angle by flexing the body of the wing–body model.

This paper analyses subcritical transition to instability, also known as triggering in thermoacoustic systems, with an example of a Rijke tube model with an explicit time delay. Linear stability analysis of the thermoacoustic system is performed to identify parameter values at the onset of linear instability via a Hopf bifurcation. We then use the method of multiple scales to recast the model of a general thermoacoustic system near the Hopf point into the Stuart–Landau equation. From the Stuart–Landau equation, the relation between the nonlinearity in the model and the criticality of the ensuing bifurcation is derived. The specific example of a model for a horizontal Rijke tube is shown to lose stability through a subcritical Hopf bifurcation as a consequence of the nonlinearity in the model for the unsteady heat release rate. Analytical estimates are obtained for the triggering amplitudes close to the critical values of the bifurcation parameter corresponding to loss of linear stability. The unstable limit cycles born from the subcritical Hopf bifurcation undergo a fold bifurcation to become stable and create a region of bistability or hysteresis. Estimates are obtained for the region of bistability by locating the fold points from a fully nonlinear analysis using the method of harmonic balance. These analytical estimates help to identify parameter regions where triggering is possible. Results obtained from analytical methods compare reasonably well with results obtained from both experiments and numerical continuation.

The response, evolution, and modelling of subgrid-scale (SGS) stresses during rapid straining of turbulence is studied experimentally. Nearly isotropic turbulence with low mean velocity and Rλ˜290 is generated in a water tank by means of spinning grids. Rapid straining (axisymmetric expansion) is achieved with two disks pushed towards each other at rates that for a while generate a constant strain rate. Time-resolved, two-dimensional velocity measurements are performed using cinematic PIV. The SGS stress is subdivided to a stress due to the mean distortion, a cross-term (the interaction between the mean and turbulence), and the turbulent SGS stress τ(T)ij. Analysis of the time evolution of τ(T)ij at various filter scales shows that all scales are more isotropic than the prediction of rapid distortion theory, with increasing isotropy as scales decrease. A priori tests show that rapid straining does not affect the high correlation and low square-error exhibited by the similarity model. Analysis of the evolution of total SGS energy dissipation reveals, surprisingly, that the Smagorinsky model with a constant coefficient (determined from isotropic turbulence data) underpredicts the dissipation during rapid straining. While the partial dissipation −〈τ(T)ijS˜ij〉 (due only to the turbulent part of the stress) is overpredicted by the Smagorinsky model, addition of the cross-terms reverses the trend. The similarity model with a constant coefficient appropriate for isotropic turbulence, on the other hand, overpredicts SGS dissipation. Owing to these opposite trends a linear combination of both models (mixed model) provides better prediction of SGS dissipation during rapid straining. However, the mixed model with coefficients determined from dissipation balance underpredicts the SGS stress.

The boundary-layer equations for the steady laminar flow of a vertical jet, including a buoyancy term caused by temperature differences, are solved by similarity methods. Two-dimensional and axisymmetric jets are treated. Exact solutions in closed form are found for certain values of the Prandtl number, and the velocity and temperature distribution for other Prandtl numbers are found by numerical integration.

Roll coating is distinguished by the use of one or more gaps between rotating cylinders to meter a continuous liquid layer and to apply it to a continuous flexible substrate. Of the two rolls that make a forward or reverse roll coating gap, one is often covered by a layer of more-or-less deformable elastomer. Liquid carried into the converging side of the nip can develop high enough pressure to deform the resilient cover, which changes the nip profile and thus alters the velocity and pressure field. This elastohydrodynamic coupled action is not yet well understood. Theoretical modelling has to take into account the viscous flow, the roll deformation and the free-surface effects in order to predict the flow behaviour.

In this work the flow between a rigid and a deformable counter-rotating roll that shares the same angular speed is described by the lubrication approximation together with a viscocapillary model, based in the film-flow equation, for the film-split region. The deformation of the elastomer layer is modelled by Hookean springs oriented radially, which constitute a one-dimensional model. The stability of the system to transverse perturbation is analysed by examining the time-dependent response to infinitesimal disturbances in order to identify those that grow fastest.

The corresponding system of equations is solved by Newton's method with first-order continuation. The relationship between coating thickness, operational parameters (loading force, gap setting, roll velocities, etc.), liquid properties and the properties of the cover is reported, as well as the critical capillary number for onset of ribbing and wavelengths of the ribbing pattern predicted by the mathematical model. The results indicate how a deformable cover may be used in order to delay the onset of ribbing for a desired coating thickness.

In order to validate the theoretical predictions of the viscocapillary/Hookean spring model, the symmetric film-split flows between a pair of rigid rolls and a pair consisting of a deformable roll and a rigid one were also analysed experimentally.