The inviscid dynamics of vorticity structures and their interaction with a solid body (Q1312579)

A simple model is proposed to study the interaction of a vorticity structure with a solid body in a two-dimensional flow at large Reynolds numbers. The vorticity dynamics is efficiently described in inviscid terms by a multilevel contour dynamics technique, and the boundary layer is modelled as a vortex sheet attached to the body wall. The collision between two Lamb dipoles, with initially parallel shifted axes, is investigated as an application of the model in the free space. Several first integrals of motion (e.g. global circulation, vorticity moments, excess energy) are introduced and extended, when possible, to the case of vorticity evolution in the presence of a solid body. The motion of a finite core vortex, induced by a circular cylinder co-rotating or counter-rotating with respect to the vortex itself, is analyzed by a boundary element scheme. The collision between a Lamb dipole and a circular cylinder has also been investigated. The present model is suitable only to study the effect of the initial vorticity structure configuration and its behavior in the first stage of the collision process.