Simulation of co-rotating vortices based on compressible vortex method

Abstract

Purpose

Relevant analyses are presented on the base of the compressible vortex method for simulating the development of two or three co-rotating vortices with different characteristic Mach numbers. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

In addition to having vorticity and dilatation properties, the vortex particles also carry density, enthalpy, and entropy. Taking co-rotating vortices in two-dimensional unsteady compressible flow for an example, truncation of unbounded domains via a nonreflecting boundary condition was considered in order to make the method computationally efficient.

Findings

For two identical vortices, the effect of the vortex Mach number on merging process is not evident; if two vortices have the same circulation rather than different radiuses, the vorticity and dilatation fields of the vortex under a vortex Mach number will be absorbed by the vortex under a higher vortex Mach number. For three vortices, if the original arrangement of the vortices is changed, the evolvement of the vorticity and dilatation fields is different.

Originality/value

The paper reveals new mechanism of the three co-rotating vortices by a feasible compressible vortex method.

Citation

Huang, H., Huang, G., Xu, X. and Li, W. (2014), "Simulation of co-rotating vortices based on compressible vortex method", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 24 No. 6, pp. 1290-1300. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-03-2013-0095