Designing vortices in pipe flow with topography-driven Langmuir circulation

TL;DR

This paper uses direct numerical simulations to explore how topography-driven Langmuir circulation can generate and control vortices in pipe flow, revealing the influence of wave angles and Reynolds number on flow patterns.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanism for vortex formation in pipe flow via patterned wall waves, linking oceanographic Langmuir circulation with pipe flow dynamics and analyzing vorticity production.

Findings

Vortices are strongest at wall wave angles of 10-20 degrees.

A dynamic opposing mechanism dominates at angles above 45 degrees.

Circulation strength increases faster than linearly with Reynolds number.

Abstract

We present direct numerical simulation of a mechanism for creating longitudinal vortices in pipe flow, compared with a simple model theory. By furnishing the pipe wall with a pattern of crossing waves secondary flow in the form of spanwise vortex pairs is created. The mechanism `CL1' is kinematic and known from oceanography as a driver of Langmuir circulation. CL1 is strongest when the `wall wave' vectors make an accute angle with the axis, $\varphi=10^\circ$ - $20^\circ$ (a `contracted eggcarton'), changes sign near $45^\circ$ and is weak and opposite beyond this angle. A competing, dynamic mechanism driving secondary flow in the opposite sense is also observed created by the azimuthally varying friction. Whereas at smaller angles `CL1' prevails, the dynamic effect dominates when $\varphi\gtrsim 45^\circ$ reversing the flow. Curiously, circulation strength is a faster-than-linearly increasing function of Reynolds number for the contracted case. We explore an analogy with Prandtl's secondary motion of the second kind in turbulence. A transport equation for average streamwise vorticity is derived, and we analyse it for three different crossing angles, $\varphi=18.6^\circ, 45^\circ$ and $60^\circ$. Mean-vorticity production is organised in a ring-like structure with the two rings contributing to rotating flow in opposite senses. For the larger $\varphi$ the inner ring decides the main swirling motion, whereas for $\varphi=18.6^\circ$ outer-ring production dominates. For the larger angles the outer ring is mainly driven by advection of vorticity and the inner by deformation (stretching) whereas for $\varphi=18.6^\circ$ both contribute approximately equally to production in the outer ring.