Stratified inclined duct: two-layer hydraulics and instabilities

DOI10.1017/JFM.2023.871arXiv2301.13035MaRDI QIDQ6184940FDOQ6184940

Authors: Amir Atoufi, Lu Zhu, Adrien Lefauve, J. R. Taylor, Rich R. Kerswell, Stuart B. Dalziel, Gregory A. Lawrence, P. F. Linden 

Publication date: 5 January 2024

Published in: Journal of Fluid Mechanics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: The stratified inclined duct (SID) sustains an exchange flow in a long, gently sloping duct as a model for continuously-forced density-stratified flows such as those found in estuaries. Experiments have shown that the emergence of interfacial waves and their transition to turbulence as the tilt angle is increased appears linked to a threshold in the exchange flow rate given by inviscid two-layer hydraulics. We uncover these hydraulic mechanisms with (i) recent direct numerical simulations (DNS) providing full flow data in the key flow regimes (Zhu & Atoufi et al., arXiv:2301.09773, 2023), (ii) averaging these DNS into two layers, (iii) an inviscid two-layer shallow water and instability theory to diagnose interfacial wave behaviour and provide physical insight. The laminar flow is subcritical and stable throughout the duct and hydraulically controlled at the ends of the duct. As the tilt is increased, the flow becomes everywhere supercritical and unstable to long waves. An internal undular jump featuring stationary waves first appears near the centre of the duct, then leads to larger-amplitude travelling waves, and to stronger jumps, wave breaking and intermittent turbulence at the largest tilt angle. Long waves described by the (nonlinear) shallow water equation are locally interpreted as linear waves on a two-layer parallel base flow described by the Taylor-Goldstein equation. This link helps us interpret long-wave instability and contrast it to short-wave (e.g. Kelvin-Helmholtz) instability. Our results suggest a transition to turbulence in SID through long-wave instability relying on vertical confinement by the top and bottom walls.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.13035

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zbMATH Keywords

stratified flowshydraulic controlshear-flow instability

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Fluid mechanics (76-XX)

Cites Work

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Cited In (2)

• Flow underneath a pair of structures with intermediate filters on a drained stratum
• Non-unique holdup and pressure drop in two-phase stratified inclined pipe flow

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