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Simple rotational flows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2006

J. A. Shercliff
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, England

Abstract

The paper develops and discusses some new additions to the available stock of analytical solutions of the nonlinear equations of fluid motion. The motions are steady, two-dimensional and devoid of viscous or other rotational forces (although such forces must have been significant during any starting process). The fluid density is constant.

The solutions are in two groups, referred respectively to Cartesian and polar co-ordinates. In both the stream function is of separable form, i.e. expressible as a product of two functions, each dependent on one co-ordinate. A remarkable variety of motions is revealed. Those that are most significant physically are described as bends (rapid transitions from one rectilinear flow to another) or as loops (closed, non-circular, vortex-type flows). The effects of boundary layers at walls or instability are not explored.

The paper closes with a mention of some preliminary experiments on loop flows in which all streamlines are ellipses and some discussion of the applicability of bend flows. Generalizations to axisymmetric flows and compressible flows are also mentioned briefly.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1977 Cambridge University Press

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