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Velocity and acceleration statistics in rapidly rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 October 2018

Hadi Rajaei Open the ORCID record for Hadi Rajaei [Opens in a new window] ,
Kim M. J. Alards ,
Rudie P. J. Kunnen Open the ORCID record for Rudie P. J. Kunnen [Opens in a new window]  and
Herman J. H. Clercx
Hadi Rajaei*
Affiliation:
Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics and J. M. Burgers Centre for Fluid Dynamics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Kim M. J. Alards
Affiliation:
Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics and J. M. Burgers Centre for Fluid Dynamics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Rudie P. J. Kunnen
Affiliation:
Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics and J. M. Burgers Centre for Fluid Dynamics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Herman J. H. Clercx
Affiliation:
Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics and J. M. Burgers Centre for Fluid Dynamics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
*
†Email address for correspondence: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background rotation causes different flow structures and heat transfer efficiencies in Rayleigh–Bénard convection. Three main regimes are known: rotation unaffected, rotation affected and rotation dominated. It has been shown that the transition between rotation-unaffected and rotation-affected regimes is driven by the boundary layers. However, the physics behind the transition between rotation-affected and rotation-dominated regimes are still unresolved. In this study, we employ the experimentally obtained Lagrangian velocity and acceleration statistics of neutrally buoyant immersed particles to study the rotation-affected and rotation-dominated regimes and the transition between them. We have found that the transition to the rotation-dominated regime coincides with three phenomena; suppressed vertical motions, strong penetration of vortical plumes deep into the bulk and reduced interaction of vortical plumes with their surroundings. The first two phenomena are used as confirmations for the available hypotheses on the transition to the rotation-dominated regime while the last phenomenon is a new argument to describe the regime transition. These findings allow us to better understand the rotation-dominated regime and the transition to this regime.

JFM classification

Turbulent Flows: Rotating turbulence Turbulent Flows: Turbulent convection Geophysical and Geological Flows: Waves in rotating fluids
Type
JFM Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 857 , 25 December 2018 , pp. 374 - 397
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Copyright
© 2018 Cambridge University Press 

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