Taylor–Couette flows have been widely studied in part due to the enhanced mixing performance from the variety of hydrodynamic flow states accessible. These process improvements have been demonstrated despite the traditionally limited injection mechanisms from the complexity of the Taylor–Couette geometry. In this study, using a newly designed, modified Taylor–Couette cell, axial mass transport behaviour is experimentally determined over two orders of magnitude of Reynolds number. Four different flow states, including laminar and turbulent Taylor vortex flows and laminar and turbulent wavy vortex flows, were studied. Using flow visualization techniques, the measured dispersion coefficient was found to increase with increasing $Re$, and a single, unified regression is found for all vortices studied. In addition to mass transport, the vortex structures’ stability to radial injection is also quantified. A dimensionless stability criterion, the ratio of injection to diffusion time scales, was found to capture the conditions under which vortex structures are stable to injection. Using the stability criterion, global and transitional stability regions are identified as a function of Reynolds number, $Re$.

Squeeze flows in liquid films between a porous disk and an impermeable disk generated by the relative motion of the disks are analysed. Two configurations that differ by the arrangement of (im)permeable external surfaces that bound the porous disk (i.e. not in contact with the liquid film) are considered. Such configurations allow for bearings with tuneable load-bearing characteristics and are also encountered in joint lubrication, adhesion, printing and composite manufacturing. In the present study, flow in the porous disk is governed by Darcy’s law and flow in the liquid film is described using lubrication theory. The present analysis also allows for slip between the liquid film and porous disk. Analytical solutions of the coupled system of equations governing flow in the liquid film and the porous disk are found. Under certain conditions, somewhat unexpected flow patterns are observed in the porous disk. The load-bearing capacity for both configurations is also examined as a function of the permeability and geometry of the permeable disk.

Mach reflection in steady supersonic flow with two incident shock waves is studied. The second incident shock wave is produced by an additional deflection of the wedge lower surface, at some point ensuring that the two incident shock waves would intersect at the reflecting surface in case of normal reflection. Both theory and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are used to study the flow structure and the influence of the second incident shock wave. The overall flow configuration, in case of Mach reflection, is shown to be composed of a triple shock structure, a shock/shock interaction structure and a shock/slipline reflection structure. Similar phenomenon, triggered by a high downstream pressure, has been observed before numerically, but not studied theoretically. The second incident shock wave reflects over the slipline to deflect the slipline more towards the reflecting surface, increasing thus the Mach stem height, advancing the transition of regular reflection to Mach reflection of the first incident shock wave, and causing an inverted Mach reflection below the usual von Neumann condition. A Mach stem height model built for a weak second incident shock wave is used to study the influence of the second incident shock wave on the Mach stem height. Both theory and CFD predict a maximum of the Mach stem height at some additional wedge deflection angle.

We study the heat or mass transfer from a neutrally buoyant spherical drop embedded in an ambient Newtonian medium, undergoing a general shearing flow, in the strong convection limit. The latter limit corresponds to the drop Péclet number being large ($Pe\gg 1$). We consider two families of ambient linear flows: (i) planar linear flows with open streamlines (parametrized by $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$ with $0\leqslant \unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}\leqslant 1$, the extremal members being simple shear flow ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}=0$) and planar extension ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}=1$)) and (ii) three-dimensional extensional flows (parameterized by $\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}$, with $0\leqslant \unicode[STIX]{x1D716}\leqslant 1$, the extremal members being planar ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}=0$) and axisymmetric extension ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}=1$)). For the first family, an analysis of the exterior flow field in the inertialess limit (the drop Reynolds number, $Re$, being vanishingly small) shows that there exist two distinct streamline topologies separated by a critical drop-to-medium viscosity ratio ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}$) given by $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}_{c}=2\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}/(1-\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC})$. For $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}<\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}_{c}$ all streamlines are open, while the near-field streamlines are closed for $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}>\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}_{c}$. For the second family, the exterior streamlines remain open regardless of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}$. The two streamline topologies lead to qualitatively different mechanisms of transport for large $Pe$. The transport in the open streamline regime is enhanced in the usual manner via the formation of a boundary layer. In sharp contrast, the closed-streamline regime displays diffusion-limited transport, so there is only a finite enhancement even as $Pe\rightarrow \infty$. For $Re=0$, the drop surface streamlines in a planar linear flow may be regarded as generalized Jeffery orbits with a flow and viscosity dependent aspect ratio Jeffery orbits denote the aspect-ratio-dependent inertialess trajectories of a rigid axisymmetric particle in a simple shear flow; see Jeffery (Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A, vol. 102 (715), 1922, pp. 161–179). A Jeffery-orbit-based non-orthogonal coordinate system thus serves as a natural candidate to tackle the transport problem from a drop, in a planar linear flow, in the limit $Pe\gg 1$. Use of this system allows one to derive a closed-form expression for the dimensionless rate of transport (the Nusselt number $Nu$) from a drop in the open-streamline regime ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}<\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}_{c}$). Symmetry arguments point to a Jeffery-orbit-based coordinate system for any linear flow, and a variant of this coordinate system is therefore used to derive the Nusselt number for the family of three-dimensional extensional flows. For both classes of flows considered, the boundary-layer-enhanced transport implies that the Nusselt number takes the form $Nu={\mathcal{F}}(P,\unicode[STIX]{x1D706})Pe^{1/2}$, with the parameter $P$ being $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$ or $\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}$, and ${\mathcal{F}}(P,\unicode[STIX]{x1D706})$ given as a one and two-dimensional integral, respectively, which is readily evaluated numerically.

High-Reynolds-number steady flow in an annular pipe which encounters a shallow axisymmetric expansion or indentation in the walls is studied using interactive boundary-layer theory. The flow upstream of the indentation (x < 0) is fully developed; the ratio of the shear rate on the outer wall to that on the inner wall is denoted by ρ (0 < ρ < 1): similarity solutions are found for the case where the wall perturbations are proportional to $x^{\frac{1}{3}}$. The solution is unique in a constriction, when the pressure gradient (represented by a parameter b) is favourable (b < 0). In an expansion, however, with an adverse pressure gradient, three different solutions are found if b exceeds a critical value bc. When ρ ≠ 1, one of these solutions, representing a flow that is attached on the inner wall and separated (i.e. has negative wall shear) on the outer, is a continuation of the unique doubly attached flow at small b. The other two, one separated on the inner and not the outer wall and the other separated on both walls, arise from a saddle-node bifurcation at b = bc. The doubly separated flow is never stable, as observed in diffusers. In the case of a planar channel (ρ = 1) symmetry is restored, and the non-uniqueness arises through a supercritical pitchfork bifurcation. This agrees with previous computations on channel flow, but not with Jeffery-Hamel flow, for which the bifurcation is subcritical.

The flow of a homogeneous viscous liquid towards a sink in the interior of a rotating basin with a free surface, a horizontal bottom and a vertical side wall is considered. The conditions assumed are such that an Ekman layer occurs at the bottom beyond a small distance from the sink. A first-order correction to the Ekman model accounting for the influence of the inertial terms in the equations of motion is given for a special case. It is shown theoretically and experimentally that eccentric withdrawal from a circular basin causes a vortex at the sink and a counter-rotating gyre attached to the far wall.

The low horizontal wavenumber limit of waves on a plane under a constant rotation rate (the so-called $f$-plane) is degenerate: all wave frequencies asymptotically approach the inertial frequency. This degeneracy has no serious consequence when the rotation axis is perpendicular to the plane (traditional $f$-plane approximation). However, when the rotation axis is tilted from the vertical direction (non-traditional $f$-plane approximation), we encounter a type of ‘singularity’ in the sense that each term of the Taylor expansion of the wave frequency in the horizontal Coriolis parameter diverges in the limit of low horizontal wavenumber. Such a drastic change of the solution behaviour by adding the horizontal Coriolis parameter in the low horizontal wavenumber limit is rather counter-intuitive, because the conventional scale analysis suggests that the horizontal Coriolis effect is negligible in this limit. However, the degeneracy of the system makes this effect critical with a need for considering higher-order terms. Two possible asymptotic limits are proposed for resolving this degeneracy. One of them, as it turns out, amounts to a representation of the wave frequency by a Taylor expansion in the horizontal wavenumber.

A study is made of the steady radial-axial flow generated in a non-Newtonian fluid confined between two infinite parallel planes by torsional oscillations of one of the planes. Canonical equations of motion appropriate for the small amplitude motion of a simple fluid are used. It is shown that under certain circumstances the direction of the radial-axial flow is opposite to that in a Newtonian fluid.

A series of experiments designed to measure the wave resistance of an accelerating two-dimensional air-cushion vehicle is described. A model was towed at a constant acceleration from rest over water of various depths. In addition, the effects of different levels of acceleration and different cushion pressures were examined. The results are compared with linearized potential-flow theory and show particularly encouraging agreement. The predicted humps and hollows in the curve of wave resistance vs. time are verified, but with a small shift with respect to time. Also, the theoretical region of negative wave resistance in water of finite depth is demonstrated.

Lighthill's analysis (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 60, 1973, p. 1) of the Weis-Fogh lift mechanism is extended to include the spreading phase of the cycle. Lighthill proposed a two-dimensional inviscid irrotational analytical model to compute the circulation around two flat plates (the wings) as they open out, in opposite directions, about a common centre of rotation taken to be at the point of contact of an edge of each plate (the ‘opening phase’). At a critical opening angle, the plates separate and move apart horizontally (the ‘spreading phase’). During this second phase, the fluid region becomes doubly connected and is not analysed by Lighthill. It can, however, also be studied analytically and the results are presented here. We also extend a similar analysis, in an application to turbomachinery, due to Furber & Ffowcs Williams (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 94, 1979, p. 519).

The natural ventilation flow driven by an internal buoyant plume in a box involving an upper opening (vent) located at the ceiling (for the outflow) and a large lower opening at the floor (for the inflow) is examined theoretically in a general non-Boussinesq case. Analytical solutions of this emptying–filling box problem allow the characteristics of the flow at the vent to be determined. From these characteristics, a non-dimensional parameter $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}_{d}$ (called the discharge plume parameter) is expressed. This parameter characterizes the initial balance of volume, buoyancy and momentum fluxes in the plume-like flow that forms above the vent. We then note that the value of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}_{d}$ allows the buoyant fluid layer depth in the box to be estimated, which is a new and interesting result for natural ventilation problems. Following previous experimental results, the decrease of the vent discharge coefficient $C_{d}$ when $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}_{d}$ increases is discussed and a theoretical model based on plume necking is proposed. The emptying–filling box model is then extended for a variable $C_{d}$ (depending on $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}_{d}$ ). Even though the discharge coefficient may be markedly reduced at high values of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}_{d}$ , our results show that this only affects transients and the steady state of an emptying–filling box for relatively thin buoyant fluid layers.

In laboratory experiments that impose shear deformation on partially molten aggregates of initially uniform porosity, melt segregates into high-porosity sheets (bands in cross-section). The bands emerge at $15^{\circ }$–$20^{\circ }$ to the shear plane. A model of viscous anisotropy can explain these low angles whereas previous simpler models have failed to do so. The anisotropic model is complex, however, and the reason that it produces low-angle bands has not been understood. Here we show that there are two mechanisms: (i) suppression of the well-known tensile instability, and (ii) creation of a new shear-driven instability. We elucidate these mechanisms using linearised stability analysis in a coordinate system that is aligned with the perturbations. We consider the general case of anisotropy that varies dynamically with deviatoric stress, but approach it by first considering uniform anisotropy that is imposed a priori and showing the difference between static and dynamic cases. We extend the model of viscous anisotropy to include a strengthening in the direction of maximum compressive stress. Our results support the hypothesis that viscous anisotropy is the cause of low band angles in experiments.

A ring with a cross-section that has a blunt inner and sharper outer edge can attain an equilibrium orientation in a Newtonian fluid subject to a low Reynolds number simple shear flow. This may be contrasted with the continuous rotation exhibited by most rigid bodies. Such rings align along an orientation when the rotation due to fluid vorticity balances the counter-rotation due to the extensional component of the simple shear flow. While the viscous stress on the particle tries to rotate it, the pressure can generate a counter-vorticity torque that aligns the particle. Using boundary integral computations, we demonstrate ways to effectively control this pressure by altering the geometry of the ring cross-section, thus leading to alignment at moderate particle aspect ratios. Aligning rings that lack fore–aft symmetry can migrate indefinitely along the gradient direction. This differs from the periodic spatial trajectories of fore–aft asymmetric axisymmetric particles that rotate in periodic orbits. The mechanism for migration of aligned rings along the gradient direction is elucidated in this work. The migration speed can be controlled by varying the cross-sectional shape and size of the ring. Our results provide new insights into controlling motion of individual particles and thereby open new pathways towards manipulating macroscopic properties of a suspension.

The three-plate system in which a vertical plate is located between two spaced parallel plates partially immersed in an infinite water bath in a downward gravity field is considered. With different contact angles and distance between the plates on both sides, the force profiles of the middle plate in this three-plate system are investigated using the Young–Laplace equation in two dimensions, and five non-trivial qualitative force profiles are found to possibly depend on the contact angles and the distance. The study is then extended to the qualitative changes of stability and behaviours in the system, and the striking properties related to the bifurcation theory come to light. Results show that, for different contact angles, there are at most eight possible bifurcation diagrams where the distance between the plates on both sides is chosen as the bifurcation parameter. By analysing the force profile of the middle plate in each of the eight bifurcation diagrams, the stabilities of the equilibria of the plate can be obtained. The number and the stabilities of equilibria will change when the bifurcation parameter passes the critical value.

The velocity field within a steady toroidal vortex is found for arbitrary mean core radius and section ellipticity. The problem is solved by transforming to coordinates that define invariant sets. The method allows the properties of the coordinate system metric tensor to be exploited in the continuity equation in order to obtain the solution. The vorticity is found to decrease monotonically with distance from the symmetry axis. For a given outer radius and outer perimeter velocity, the circulation of the vortex ring can be either smaller or larger than that of Hill's spherical vortex.

We consider the evolution of a thin viscous fluid sheet subject to thermocapillary effects. Using a lubrication approximation we find, for symmetric interfacial deflections, coupled evolution equations for the interfacial profile, the streamwise component of the fluid velocity and the temperature variation along the surface. Initial temperature profiles change the initial flow field through Marangoni-induced shear stresses. These changes then lead to preferred conditions for rupture prescribed by the initial temperature distribution. We show that the time to rupture may be minimized by varying the phase difference between the initial velocity profile and the initial temperature profile. For sufficiently large temperature differences, the phase difference between the initial velocity and temperature profiles determines the rupture location.

Instability of coupled density fronts, and its fully nonlinear evolution are studied within the idealized reduced-gravity rotating shallow-water model. By using the collocation method, we benchmark the classical stability results on zero potential vorticity (PV) fronts and generalize them to non-zero PV fronts. In both cases, we find a series of instability zones intertwined with the stability regions along the along-front wavenumber axis, the most unstable modes being long wave. We then study the nonlinear evolution of the unstable modes with the help of a high-resolution well-balanced finite-volume numerical scheme by initializing it with the unstable modes found from the linear stability analysis. The most unstable long-wave mode evolves as follows: after a couple of inertial periods, the coupled fronts are pinched at some location and a series of weakly connected co-rotating elliptic anticyclonic vortices is formed, thus totally changing the character of the flow. The characteristics of these vortices are close to known rodon lens solutions. The shorter-wave unstable modes from the next instability zones are strongly concentrated in the frontal regions, have sharp gradients, and are saturated owing to dissipation without qualitatively changing the flow pattern.

The dynamics of a small rigid spherical particle in an unbounded pulsating vortex is considered, keeping constant the particle Stokes number $St$ and varying the particle-to-fluid density ratio $\unicode[STIX]{x1D71A}$ and the pulsation frequency of the vortex $\unicode[STIX]{x1D714}$. We show that the asymptotic dynamics of a particle of given $St$ and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D71A}$ can be controlled by varying $\unicode[STIX]{x1D714}$, turning the vortex core either into an attractor or a repellor. The creation of non-trivial particle limit cycles characterizes the boundaries between centrifugal and centripetal regions in parameter space. The discovered phenomenon is termed oscillatory switching centrifugation and its implications for particle demixing processes, biological protocols, lab-on-a-chip devices and dynamical systems theory are discussed at the end.

When a potential is applied between two electrodes immersed in a flowing chemi-luminescent solution a blue glow appears at the surface of the anode. This glow may be used to observe the behaviour of liquid flows past solid surfaces. An electrochemical system suitable for generating the glow is described. Photographic studies of separated flows past cylinders, flat plates and cones are presented showing the application of the technique of electrochemiluminescence to flow visualization.