Introduction to Vorticity

and Vortex
Dynamics

CH4 Basic Vortex flow

 2D Vortex
• Cylindrical coordinate (r, θ, z), and (u, v, w)
• GE:  u u u v 2
1 P u
u w    ( u  2 )
2

t r z r 0 r r
v v v uv v
u w    ( 2 v  2 )
t r z r r
w w w 1 P
u w g   2 w
t r z 0 z
• CE:  (ru )  (rw)
 0
r z

1 ∂ ∂ ∂2 
where ∇ = (r ) + 2 symmetry
2
0
r ∂r ∂r ∂z 
 Potential Vortex
• Consider steady, w=u=0, and v=v(r).
v 2 1 dp
   0,
r  dr
v
 2 v  2  0,
r
2
d r 1 dv
• Where  v  dr  r dr means the balance between the
2
2

pressure gradient force and centrifugal force

physically.
d 2 v 1 dv v
2
  2  0.
dr r dr r
 Potential Vortex
• For solving above ODE, we facilitate the
circulation
 u dx  2 rv,
Ñ
c

• Then eq(4.1.3) becomes

d 2 d 
r 2   0.
dr dr
• Solution
1 Velocity distribution
  Ar 2  B.
2

v ,   const
• BC:  r  ,  is bounded  A=0 2 r
 
 r  0,  is bounded  B =0 ? w    i  ln( z  z0 )
2 i
 Potential Vortex
• We can obtain the solution

v ,   const
2 r
Besides r=0, the flow is irrotational and
at r=0, v and w are infinite.

• Pressure distribution
v 2 1 dp
from    0, we can obtain
r  dr
p  p   2 8 2 r 2 r  , p  p Velocity distribution

It’s interesting to estimate the critical

value when the p  0 .
 for water  14 m/s (evaporation)

 for air  406 m/s (supersonic)
 Potential Vortex
• Discussion:
• For u    , and  2
  0   2
u0
 viscous terms disapper in incompressible N  S eq

• At large Re, the vortex is similar to potential

vortex outside r=0 when the radius of vortex
core is as thinner as possible.
• But, at r=0, it’s far from realized.
• It’s unrealized that the calculated K.E. is infinite.
 Rankine Vortex
• Rankine (1882): A simplify vortex model
Vorticity distribution is uniform inside the vortex core.
  2 rv   r 2
 r  a, v ~ r
 A  2
B0
when  (match at r  a)
 r  a, v ~ 1 r
 
 2 r r  a,  A0
B  const .
 v
 a
2
r  a.
 2 r
Incompressible flow outside the vortex core. 1 2
Where a is the radius of vortex vore.  Ar  B
2
 Rankine Vortex
• Pressure distribution
dp v 2  2  2 r 2
for r  a,   r p  c( z ),
dr r 4 8
dp  2 r 2
in z-dir  - g  p    gz  c '
dz 8
• Using the same method
 2 a 4
for r  a  p  c '' 2
  gz ,
8r
• The continuity condition matches at r=a
  2
 r 2 -  gz r  a,
 p
8
  2
a 2
a (2 - 2 )- gz
2
r  a.
 8 r
 Rankine Vortex
• The solution of free surface
  2 2
 r  , z  0, Pa   a  P
when  4
 r  0, v  0, P  P

 2
  (2a 2  r 2 ) r  a,
 8 g
 z
  2 a4
 r  a.
 8 g r 2
It’s interesting in r  0, v  0, but p  p and thus, forms a hollow
vortex which is similar to the meso-scale typhoon.
 Oseen Vortex
 Potential vortex
  steady, inviscid  unrealistic
 Rankine vortex
• Oseen(Lamb) (1912): potential vortex will obey
the viscous fluid dynamic at t=0, and we can
make sure the motion of vortex at t>0.
   
r  2  .
t r r r
   0, r  0 t  0,

BC & IC      0 , r  , t  0,
    , r, t  0.
 0
 Oseen Vortex
r
• Using the similar variables   , and   f ( )
t
 3

      f  1 rt ,
2

 t  t 2 

      f   1 ,
 r  r t
 2
    f   1 .
 r 2 t
 1
 f (  )f 0 
2 
   0, r  0  B  A / 2
 A  2 
  f ( )  e  B,     0 , r , t  0  B   0
2     , r  , t  0  B  
 0 0
 Oseen Vortex
• We can obtain
2
r r2
 0 
   0 (1  e 4 t
)v (1  e 4 t
).
2 r
• As t  0,  0 or r 2 ? 4 t ,
 1
v 0 v  (potential vortex)
2 r r
• For small r
0  r 2  0
v  1  (1   h.o.t )   r , v  r (solid body rotation)
2 r  t  2 t
• The unsteady transitional zone at r0 ~ 4 t ,

Where r0 means the dimension of vortex core.
It will incerase with time and causes the decay of vortex. 
 Oseen Vortex
• The distribution of vorticity
r2
1  (rv) 0
   e 4 t
,
r r 4 t
1. The above eq. shows the vorticity is infinity at r=0 when t=0.

2. The total vorticity is invariable. 
0
 2 rdr   0

The vorticity distribution of

Oseen vortex
 Taylor Vortex
• Oseen vortex is the simplest one of the solutions of
N-S eq., and G. I. Taylor (1918) find another one.
r2
H r 
v e 4 t
, (H  const.)
4  t 2


M   2 r  rvdr   H , (angular momentum is finite)
0
2 r2
H r 
 (1  )e 4 t
.
2 t 2
4 t
 1. for t  0    0 at r=0

  r
,



 2. vmax =H / 2 2 et at r0  2 t ,
3

 
 3. vmax  t 3/ 2  from vo decays to v0 2, it needs 
 t  t0  (23/ 2  1)t0  0.296r02  
 
 Oseen Vortex & Taylor Vortex
• To take time derivation with the vorticity of
Oseen vortex can obtain the same result with the
vorticity of Taylor vortex.
• When t=o
   0.

for Taylor vortex    total energy 
 are finite.
total angular momentum
  total energy disppation 
  
   0 .

for Oseen vortex    total energy 
 total angular momentum  are infinite.
  total energy disppation 
  
• Taylor vortex is more realistic than Oseen vortex.
 The General Solution of 2D Axial-
Symmetry, Inviscid Vortex
• Vorticity eq: (linear)
   1  
r    ,
t  r
2
r r 
• Similarity law:
  T (t ) f ( ),   Ar a t b , where A, a, b are undeteminited consts.
• Separate variable:  choice A  1/ 4 , a  2, b  1
 1 p   d
 f   (  1) f   f  0,  f ( )  e  p 
e  Laguerre eq 
    d p

 T   T p / t ,  T  ct p
,

d
vorticity :   ct p e  p 
e .
d p
 The General Solution of 2D Axial-
Symmetry, Inviscid Vortex
• The exact solution of 2D vortex is realistic due to
the significant axial flow.
b. Burgers vortex
c. Rott vortex
d. Sullivan vortex
e. Long vortex
 Burgers Vortex
• Burgers (1948)
2
A 2

 ( , )  e , 4
4 t
(i) without deforming  a  0, A  1,  t ,   r
r2
 
 (r , t )  e 4
(Oseen vortex),
4 t
(ii) with deforming  a (t )  consts, w( z )  2az (a  0), u  ar
 
A  e t ,   re at ,   e 2 at  1 / 2a
ar 2
a 
2 (1 e2 at )
 (r , t )  e
2 (1  e )
2 at

r2
  l2
let t     (r )  2 e (steady state), where l 2  (2 / a )1/ 2
l
 Burgers Vortex
• Velocity a(t )  const.2 (a  0)
ar
 
v(r )  (1  e 2 )
2 r
w( z )  2az
u   ar
• pressure p  p(r , z ) p0  p(0, 0)
u u u v 2 1 P u
u w    ( u  2 )
2

t r z r 0 r r
w w w 1 P
u w g   2 w
t r z 0 z
 r v
2
 p (r , z )  p0  (4a z  a r  2 gz )   
2 2 2 2
dr.
2 0 r
p (0, z )  p0  (2  a 2 z 2   gz ) (Negative PGF causes axial
flow)
 Burgers Vortex
• Discussion
ar 2
 
v(r )  (1  e 2 )
2 r
w( z )  2az , u   ar
r2
  2
 (r )  2 e l
l
1. r , z    u  ,    (unrealistic)
2. r  0, z  0  u  v  w  0
3. Rott(1958) : unsteady Burgers' solution

  
2
ar 1

v(r , t )   1 e 2 1  e 2 t
 , ( : integral const)
2 r  

 Sullivan Vortex
• Sullivan (1959): w=zf(r)
 ar 2 / 2
w  2az[1  be ],
 (ru )  (rw)
from   0, we can obtain u (r )  u (0)  0 
r z
  ar 2 / 2
u  ar  2b [1  e ],
r
t 1 e 
 ar 2
x ( t b  d )
v H( ) / H (), where H ( x)   e 0 
dt.
2 r 2 0
 Sullivan Vortex
• Two-celled structure b  1,
ar02  ar02 / 2
when u  0, we can obtain  1 e ,
2b
 r  r0  u  0,  r  r0  w  0,
 r  r  u  0,  r  0  w  0, w  2az (b  1),
 0 
 Long Vortex
• Long (1958) consider the similar solution.

vr   k  const. (far from the symmetry axial)
2
x  kr 2 z

  k
 u   f ( x )  f ( x),
r 2z

 k
 v  ( x),
 r
 w  k f ( x),
 2r
4
p   gz  k s ( x)
  2z2
 Long Vortex
• Instituting u , v, w, p into the N-S eqs,
  2  2 x 3 s   2 ( f 2  ff x  x 2 f   8 x 4 s  xf   4 x 5 s)   4 (2 x 4 f )

 f x  f ( f  1)  4 x s   ( x f ),
3 2 3

 x  ( f  1)   2 (2x 3  4 x 2 ),


where  ,    / k , means the reciprocal of Re no.,
Long assumes  = 1  u / w = 1
  2  2 x 3 s  0,

  f x  f ( f  1)  4 x 3 s  0,
 x  ( f  1)  0.

 Long Vortex
• As the same with Sullivan vortex, Long vortex
can use extensively in the meteorology.
• Because Long doesn’t consider the surface effect,
the results only simulate the flow field far from
the surface.

(a) Axial velocity (b) Azimuthal velocity