Numerical study of vortex breakdown (Q1081467)

The incompressible axisymmetric steady Navier-Stokes equations and the Euler equations are solved numerically to model the breakdown of a vortex. The solutions obtained for the Euler equations show a 'vortex breakdown-like' structure, their behavior is very different from that of the Navier-Stokes solutions which are obtained at low Reynolds number. The details of the numerical algorithms used are presented, and the results obtained are compared to those in the literature at the same Reynolds number.