With the aid of direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC), we conduct a detailed investigation pertaining to the fluid and thermal characteristics of rarefied gas flow with regard to various arrangements for radiometric pumps featuring vane and ratchet structures. For the same, we consider three categories of radiometric pumps consisting of channels with their bottom or top surfaces periodically patterned with different structures. The structures in the design of the first category are assumed to be on the bottom wall and consist of either a simple vane, a right-angled triangular fin or an isosceles triangular fin. The arrangements on the second category of radiometric pumps consist of an alternating diffuse–specular right-angled fin and an alternating diffuse–specular isosceles fin on the bottom wall. The third category contains either a channel with double isosceles triangular fins on its lowermost surface or a zigzag channel with double isosceles triangular fins on both walls. In the first and the third categories, the surfaces of the channel and its structures are considered as diffuse reflectors. The temperature is kept steady on the horizontal walls of the channel; thus, radiometric flow is created by subjecting the adjacent sides of the vane/ratchet to constant but unequal temperatures. On the other hand, for the second category, radiometric flow is introduced by specifying different top/bottom channel wall temperatures. The DSMC simulations are performed at a Knudsen number based on the vane/ratchet height of approximately one. The dominant mechanism in the radiometric force production is clarified for the examined configurations. Our results demonstrate that, at the investigated Knudsen number, the zigzag channel experiences maximum induced velocity with a parabolic velocity profile, whereas its net radiometric force vanishes. In the case of all other configurations, the flow pattern resembles a Couette flow in the open section of the channel situated above the vane/ratchet. To further enhance the simulations, the predictions of the finite volume discretization of the Boltzmann Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook (BGK)–Shakhov equation for the mass flux dependence on temperature difference and Knudsen number are also reported for typical test cases.

We model the dynamics of Jupiter’s jets by the stochastic barotropic $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$-plane model. In this simple framework, by analytic computation of the averaged effect of eddies, we obtain three new explicit results about the equilibrium structure of jets. First we obtain a very simple explicit relation between the Reynolds stresses, the energy injection rate and the averaged velocity shear. This predicts the averaged velocity profile far from the jet edges (extrema of zonal velocity). Our approach takes advantage of a time-scale separation between the inertial dynamics on one hand, and the spin-up (or spin-down) time on the other. Second, a specific asymptotic expansion close to the eastward jet extremum explains the formation of a cusp at the scale of energy injection, characterized by a curvature that is independent of the forcing spectrum. Finally, we derive equations that describe the evolution of the westward tip of the jets. The analysis of these equations is consistent with the previously discussed picture of barotropic adjustment, explaining the relation between the westward jet curvature and the $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$-effect. Our results give a consistent overall theory of the stationary velocity profile of inertial barotropic zonal jets, in the limit of small-scale forcing.

We revisit the linear stability of a falling liquid film flowing through an inclined narrow channel in interaction with a gas phase. We focus on a particular region of parameter space, small inclination and very strong confinement, where we have found the gas to strongly stabilize the film, up to the point of fully suppressing the long-wave interfacial instability attributed to Kapitza (Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz., vol. 18 (1), 1948, pp. 3–28). The stabilization occurs both when the gas is merely subject to an aerostatic pressure difference, i.e. when the pressure difference balances the weight of the gas column, and when it flows counter-currently. In the latter case, the degree of stabilization increases with the gas velocity. Our investigation is based on a numerical solution of the Orr–Sommerfeld temporal linear stability problem as well as stability experiments that clearly confirm the observed effect. We quantify the degree of stabilization by comparing the linear stability threshold with its passive-gas limit, and perform a parametric study, varying the relative confinement, the Reynolds number, the inclination angle and the Kapitza number. For example, we find a 30 % reduction of the cutoff wavenumber of the instability for a water film in contact with air, flowing through a channel inclined at $3^{\circ }$ and of height 2.8 times the film thickness. We also identify the critical conditions for the full suppression of the instability in terms of the governing parameters. The stabilization is caused by the strong confinement of the gas, which produces perturbations of the adverse interfacial tangential shear stress that are shifted by half a wavelength with respect to the wavy film surface. This tends to reduce flow-rate variations within the film, thus attenuating the inertia-based driving mechanism of the Kapitza instability.

The fate of a contracting liquid filament depends on the Ohnesorge number ($Oh$), the initial aspect ratio ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}$) and surface perturbation. Generally, it is believed that there exists a critical aspect ratio $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}_{c}(Oh)$ such that longer filaments break up and shorter ones recoil into a single drop. Through computational and experimental studies, we report a transitional regime for filaments with a broad range of intermediate aspect ratios, where there exist multiple $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}_{c}$ thresholds at which a novel breakup mode alternates with no-break mode. We develop a simple model considering the superposition of capillary waves, which can predict the complicated new phase diagram. In this model, the breakup results from constructive interference between the capillary waves that originate from the ends of the filament.

This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into flow past a circular cylinder where compressibility and rarefaction effects play an important role. The study focuses on steady subsonic flow in the Reynolds-number range 0.1–45. Rarefaction, or non-equilibrium, effects in the slip and early transition regime are accounted for using the method of moments and results are compared to data from kinetic theory obtained from the direct simulation Monte Carlo method. Solutions obtained for incompressible continuum flow serve as a baseline to examine non-equilibrium effects on the flow features. For creeping flow, where the Reynolds number is less than unity, the drag coefficient predicted by the moment equations is in good agreement with kinetic theory for Knudsen numbers less than one. When flow separation occurs, we show that the effects of rarefaction and velocity slip delay flow separation and will reduce the size of the vortices downstream of the cylinder. When the Knudsen number is above 0.028, the vortex length shows an initial increase with the Reynolds number, as observed in the standard no-slip continuum regime. However, once the Reynolds number exceeds a critical value, the size of the downstream vortices decreases with increasing Reynolds number until they disappear. An existence criterion, which identifies the limits for the presence of the vortices, is proposed. The flow physics around the cylinder is further analysed in terms of velocity slip, pressure and skin friction coefficients, which highlights that viscous, rarefaction and compressibility effects all play a complex role. We also show that the local Knudsen number, which indicates the state of the gas around the cylinder, can differ significantly from its free-stream value and it is essential that computational studies of subsonic gas flows in the slip and early transition regime are able to account for these strong non-equilibrium effects.

We propose to explain shear-thinning behaviour observed in most concentrated non-Brownian suspensions by variable friction between particles. Considering the low magnitude of the forces experienced by the particles of suspensions under shear flow, it is first argued that rough particles come into solid contact through one or a few asperities. In such a few-asperity elastic–plastic contact, the friction coefficient is expected not to be constant but to decrease with increasing normal load. Simulations based on the force coupling method and including such a load-dependent friction coefficient are performed for various particle volume fractions. The results of the numerical simulations are compared to viscosity measurements carried out on suspensions of polystyrene particles ($40~\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\text{m}$ in diameter) dispersed in a Newtonian silicon oil. The agreement is shown to be satisfactory. Furthermore, the comparison between the simulations conducted either with a constant or a load-dependent friction coefficient provides a model for the shear-thinning viscosity. In this model the effective friction coefficient $\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}^{eff}$ is specified by the effective normal contact force which is simply proportional to the bulk shear stress. As the shear stress increases, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}^{eff}$ decreases and the jamming volume fraction increases, leading to the reduction of the viscosity. Finally, using this model, we show that it is possible to evaluate the microscopic friction coefficient for each applied shear stress from the rheometric measurements.

Experimental observations indicate that chemically active droplets suspended in a surfactant-laden fluid can self-propel spontaneously. The onset of this motion is attributed to a symmetry-breaking Marangoni instability resulting from the nonlinear advective coupling of the distribution of surfactant to the hydrodynamic flow generated by Marangoni stresses at the droplet’s surface. Here, we use a weakly nonlinear analysis to characterize the self-propulsion near the instability threshold and the influence of the droplet’s deformability. We report that, in the vicinity of the threshold, deformability enhances self-propulsion of viscous droplets, but hinders propulsion of drops that are roughly less viscous than the surrounding fluid. Our asymptotics further reveals that droplet deformability may alter the type of bifurcation leading to symmetry breaking: for moderately deformable droplets, the onset of self-propulsion is transcritical and a regime of steady self-propulsion is stable; while in the case of highly deformable drops, no steady flows can be found within the asymptotic limit considered in this paper, suggesting that the bifurcation is subcritical.

The flow-induced vibrations of an elastically mounted circular cylinder, free to oscillate in an arbitrary direction and forced to rotate about its axis, are examined via two- and three-dimensional simulations, at a Reynolds number equal to 100, based on the body diameter and inflow velocity. The behaviour of the flow–structure system is investigated over the entire range of vibration directions, defined by the angle $\unicode[STIX]{x1D703}$ between the direction of the current and the direction of motion, a wide range of values of the reduced velocity $U^{\star }$ (inverse of the oscillator natural frequency) and three values of the rotation rate (ratio between the cylinder surface and inflow velocities), $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}\in \{0,1,3\}$, in order to cover the reference non-rotating cylinder case, as well as typical slow and fast rotation cases. The oscillations of the non-rotating cylinder ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}=0$) develop under wake-body synchronization or lock-in, and their amplitude exhibits a bell-shaped evolution, typical of vortex-induced vibrations (VIV), as a function of $U^{\star }$. When $\unicode[STIX]{x1D703}$ is increased from $0^{\circ }$ to $90^{\circ }$ (or decreased from $180^{\circ }$ to $90^{\circ }$), the bell-shaped curve tends to monotonically increase in width and magnitude. For all angles, the flow past the non-rotating body is two-dimensional with formation of two counter-rotating spanwise vortices per cycle. The behaviour of the system remains globally the same for $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}=1$. The principal effects of the slow rotation are a slight amplification of the VIV-like responses and widening of the vibration windows, as well as a limited asymmetry of the responses and forces about the symmetrical configuration $\unicode[STIX]{x1D703}=90^{\circ }$. The impact of the fast rotation ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}=3$) is more pronounced: VIV-like responses persist over a range of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D703}$ but, outside this range, the system is found to undergo a transition towards galloping-like oscillations characterised by amplitudes growing unboundedly with $U^{\star }$. A quasi-steady modelling of fluid forcing predicts the emergence of galloping-like responses as $\unicode[STIX]{x1D703}$ is varied, which suggests that they could be mainly driven by the mean flow. It, however, appears that flow unsteadiness and body motion remain synchronised in this vibration regime where a variety of multi-vortex wake patterns are uncovered. The interaction with flow dynamics results in deviations from the quasi-steady prediction. The successive steps in the evolution of the vibration amplitude versus $U^{\star }$, linked to wake pattern switch, are not captured by the quasi-steady approach. The flow past the rapidly-rotating, vibrating cylinder becomes three-dimensional over an interval of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D703}$ including the in-line oscillation configuration, with only a minor effect on the system behaviour.

Freak or rogue waves are so called because of their unexpectedly large size relative to the population of smaller waves in which they occur. The 25.6 m high Draupner wave, observed in a sea state with a significant wave height of 12 m, was one of the first confirmed field measurements of a freak wave. The physical mechanisms that give rise to freak waves such as the Draupner wave are still contentious. Through physical experiments carried out in a circular wave tank, we attempt to recreate the freak wave measured at the Draupner platform and gain an understanding of the directional conditions capable of supporting such a large and steep wave. Herein, we recreate the full scaled crest amplitude and profile of the Draupner wave, including bound set-up. We find that the onset and type of wave breaking play a significant role and differ significantly for crossing and non-crossing waves. Crucially, breaking becomes less crest-amplitude limiting for sufficiently large crossing angles and involves the formation of near-vertical jets. In our experiments, we were only able to reproduce the scaled crest and total wave height of the wave measured at the Draupner platform for conditions where two wave systems cross at a large angle.

We report on direct numerical simulations of the decay of initially isotropic, homogeneous turbulence subject to the application of stable density stratification. Flows were simulated for three different initial Reynolds numbers, but for the same initial Froude number. We find that the flows pass through three different dynamical regimes as they decay, depending on the local values of the Froude number and activity parameter. These regimes are analogous to those seen in the experimental study of Spedding (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 337, 1997, pp. 283–301) for the wake of a sphere. The flows initially decay with little influence of stratification, up to approximately one buoyancy period, when the local Froude number has dropped below 1. At this point the flows have adjusted to the density stratification, and, if the activity parameter is large enough, begin to decay at a slower rate and spread horizontally at a faster rate, consistent with the predictions of Davidson (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 663, 2010, pp. 268–292) and the scaling arguments of Billant & Chomaz (Phys. Fluids, vol. 13, 2001, pp. 1645–1651). We refer to this second regime as the stratified turbulence regime. As the flows continue to decay, ultimately the activity parameter drops below approximately 1 as viscous effects begin to dominate. In this regime, the flows have become quasi-horizontal, and approximately obey the scaling arguments of Godoy-Diana et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 504, 2004, pp. 229–238).

The idea of the present work is to study from a unifying viewpoint the effects of viscosity, surface tension and gravity on acoustic reflection and refraction at a fluid interface, with the focus on modifications of Snell’s (Snell–Descartes’) law. While all these effects can be treated individually due to separation of the associated time scales, the contributions of surface tension to the gravity and viscosity cases are considered as well. The analysis reveals a number of phenomena among which are dispersive refraction laws, surface tension enhancing reflection, acoustic field generating vorticity at the interface, and viscosity enhancing/suppressing reflection as well as giving rise to extra reflected and transmitted waves.

The present study is aimed at assessing the existing results concerning the stability of canonical shear flows in channels and tubes with deformable walls, in light of consistent formulations of the nonlinear solid constitutive model and linearised interface conditions at the fluid–solid interface. We show that a class of unstable shear-wave modes at low Reynolds number, predicted by previous studies for pressure-driven flows through neo-Hookean tubes and channels, is absent upon use of consistent interfacial conditions. Furthermore, we analyse the consequences of the change in solid model on the stability of the canonical shear flows by using both neo-Hookean and Mooney–Rivlin models. We show that the salient features of the stability of the system are adequately captured by a consistent formulation of the neo-Hookean solid model, thus precluding the need to employ more detailed solid models. The stability analysis of planar flows past a neo-Hookean solid subjected to three-dimensional disturbances showed that two-dimensional disturbances are more unstable than the corresponding three-dimensional disturbances within the consistent formulations. We show that prior inconsistent formulations of the solid constitutive equation predict a physically spurious spanwise instability in disagreement with experiments thereby demonstrating their inapplicability to predict instabilities in flow past deformable solid surfaces. Using the consistent formulation, the present work provides an accurate picture, over a range of Reynolds numbers, of the stability of canonical shear flows through deformable channels and tubes. Importantly, it is shown how inconsistencies in either the bulk constitutive relation or in the linearisation of the interface conditions can separately lead to physically spurious instabilities. The predictions of this work are relevant to experimental studies in flow through deformable tubes and channels in the low and moderate Reynolds number regime.

The transport equations for the variances of the velocity components are investigated using data from direct numerical simulations of incompressible channel flows at friction Reynolds number ($Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}}$) up to $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}}=5200$. Each term in the transport equation has been spectrally decomposed to expose the contribution of turbulence at different length scales to the processes governing the flow of energy in the wall-normal direction, in scale and among components. The outer-layer turbulence is dominated by very large-scale streamwise elongated modes, which are consistent with the very large-scale motions (VLSM) that have been observed by many others. The presence of these VLSMs drives many of the characteristics of the turbulent energy flows. Away from the wall, production occurs primarily in these large-scale streamwise-elongated modes in the streamwise velocity, but dissipation occurs nearly isotropically in both velocity components and scale. For this to happen, the energy is transferred from the streamwise-elongated modes to modes with a range of orientations through nonlinear interactions, and then transferred to other velocity components. This allows energy to be transferred more-or-less isotropically from these large scales to the small scales at which dissipation occurs. The VLSMs also transfer energy to the wall region, resulting in a modulation of the autonomous near-wall dynamics and the observed Reynolds number dependence of the near-wall velocity variances. The near-wall energy flows are more complex, but are consistent with the well-known autonomous near-wall dynamics that gives rise to streaks and streamwise vortices. Through the overlap region between outer- and inner-layer turbulence, there is a self-similar structure to the energy flows. The VLSM production occurs at spanwise scales that grow with $y$. There is transport of energy away from the wall over a range of scales that grows with $y$. Moreover, there is transfer of energy to small dissipative scales which grows like $y^{1/4}$, as expected from Kolmogorov scaling. Finally, the small-scale near-wall processes characterised by wavelengths less than 1000 wall units are largely Reynolds number independent, while the larger-scale outer-layer processes are strongly Reynolds number dependent. The interaction between them appears to be relatively simple.