The evolution of a single hairpin vortex-like structure in the mean turbulent field of a low-Reynolds-number channel flow is studied by direct numerical simulation. The structure of the initial three-dimensional vortex is extracted from the two-point spatial correlation of the velocity field by linear stochastic estimation given a second-quadrant ejection event vector. Initial vortices having vorticity that is weak relative to the mean vorticity evolve gradually into omega-shaped vortices that persist for long times and decay slowly. As reported in Zhou, Adrian & Balachandar (1996), initial vortices that exceed a threshold strength relative to the mean flow generate new hairpin vortices upstream of the primary vortex. The detailed mechanisms for this upstream process are determined, and they are generally similar to the mechanisms proposed by Smith et al. (1991), with some notable differences in the details. It has also been found that new hairpins generate downstream of the primary hairpin, thereby forming, together with the upstream hairpins, a coherent packet of hairpins that propagate coherently. This is consistent with the experimental observations of Meinhart & Adrian (1995). The possibility of autogeneration above a critical threshold implies that hairpin vortices in fully turbulent fields may occur singly, but they more often occur in packets. The hairpins also generate quasi-streamwise vortices to the side of the primary hairpin legs. This mechanism bears many similarities to the mechanisms found by Brooke & Hanratty (1993) and Bernard, Thomas & Handler (1993). It provides a means by which new quasi-streamwise vortices, and, subsequently, new hairpin vortices can populate the near-wall layer.

Turbulent dispersed multiphase flows are common in many engineering and environmental applications. The stochastic nature of both the carrier-phase turbulence and the dispersed-phase distribution makes the problem of turbulent dispersed multiphase flow far more complex than its single-phase counterpart. In this article we first review the current state-of-the-art experimental and computational techniques for turbulent dispersed multiphase flows, their strengths and limitations, and opportunities for the future. The review then focuses on three important aspects of turbulent dispersed multiphase flows: the preferential concentration of particles, droplets, and bubbles; the effect of turbulence on the coupling between the dispersed and carrier phases; and modulation of carrier-phase turbulence due to the presence of particles and bubbles.

Highly resolved three-dimensional and two-dimensional simulations of gravity currents in planar and cylindrical configurations are presented. The volume of release of the heavy fluid is varied and the different phases of spreading, namely acceleration, slumping, inertial and viscous phases, are studied. The incompressible Navier–Stokes equations are solved assuming that the Boussinesq approximation is valid for small density difference. The simulations are performed for three different Reynolds numbers (Re): 895, 3450 and 8950 (this particular choice corresponds to values of Grashof number: 105, 1.5 × 106 and 107, respectively). Following their sudden release, the gravity currents are observed to go through an acceleration phase in which the maximum front velocity is reached. As the interface of the current rolls up, the front velocity slightly decreases from the maximum and levels off to a nearly constant value. At higher Re, three-dimensional disturbances grow rapidly and the currents become strongly turbulent. In contrast, in two-dimensional simulations, the rolled-up vortices remain coherent and very strong. Depending on the initial Re of the flow and on the size of the release, the current may transition from the slumping to the inertial phase, or directly to the viscous phase without an inertial phase. New criteria for the critical Re are introduced for the development of the inertial phase. Once the flow transitions to the inertial or viscous phase, it becomes fully three-dimensional. During these phases of spreading, two-dimensional approximations underpredict the front location and velocity. The enhanced vortex coherence of the two-dimensional simulations leads to strong vortex interaction and results in spurious strong time variations of the front velocity. The structure and dynamics of the three-dimensional currents are in good agreement with previously reported numerical and experimental observations.

In this study we investigate the onset of three-dimensionality in an otherwise two-dimensional periodic wake of a square cylinder. Floquet stability analysis is employed to extract the different modes of three-dimensional instabilities. It is observed that the three-dimensional transition process for a square cylinder is similar to that of a circular cylinder. Most notably, there is a long-wavelength (mode A) three-dimensional disturbance that becomes unstable first at a Reynolds number of about 161, followed by a short-wavelength (mode B) three-dimensional disturbance that becomes unstable at a Reynolds number of about 190. In addition, a third intermediate-wavelength mode is also observed to become unstable at around Re=200. Unlike modes A and B, the intermediate-wavelength mode is subharmonic with a period of twice the shedding period of the two-dimensional base state. This mode also breaks the reflection translation symmetry observed in the other two modes and as a result appears with multiplicity two. The space–time symmetries of the three modes are explored in detail.

To understand and better model the hydrodynamic force acting on a finite-sized particle moving in a wall-bounded linear shear flow, here we consider the two limiting cases of (a) a rigid stationary spherical particle in a linear wall-bounded shear flow and (b) a rigid spherical particle in rectilinear motion parallel to a wall in a quiescent ambient flow. In the present computations, the particle Reynolds number ranges from 2 to 250 at separation distances to the wall from nearly sitting on the wall to far away from the wall. First we characterize the structure of the wake for a stationary particle in a linear shear flow and compare with those for a particle moving parallel to a wall in a quiescent ambient [see L. Zeng, S. Balachandar, and P. Fischer, J. Fluid Mech. 536, 1 (2005)]. For both these cases we present drag and lift results and obtain composite drag and lift correlations that are valid for a wide range of Re and distance from the wall. These correlations have been developed to be consistent with all available low Reynolds number theories and approach the appropriate uniform flow results at large distance from the wall. Particular attention is paid to the case of particle in contact with the wall and the computational results are compared with those from experiments.

COVID-19 pandemic has strikingly demonstrated how important it is to develop fundamental knowledge related to generation, transport and inhalation of pathogen-laden droplets and their subsequent possible fate as airborne particles, or aerosols, in the context of human to human transmission. It is also increasingly clear that airborne transmission is an important contributor to rapid spreading of the disease. In this paper, we discuss the processes of droplet generation by exhalation, their potential transformation into airborne particles by evaporation, transport over long distances by the exhaled puff and by ambient air turbulence, and final inhalation by the receiving host as interconnected multiphase flow processes. A simple model for the time evolution of droplet/aerosol concentration is presented based on a theoretical analysis of the relevant physical processes. The modeling framework along with detailed experiments and simulations can be used to study a wide variety of scenarios involving breathing, talking, coughing and sneezing and in a number of environmental conditions, as humid or dry atmosphere, confined or open environment. Although a number of questions remain open on the physics of evaporation and coupling with persistence of the virus, it is clear that with a more reliable understanding of the underlying flow physics of virus transmission one can set the foundation for an improved methodology in designing case-specific social distancing and infection control guidelines.

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The effect of free rotation on the drag and lift forces on a solid sphere in unbounded linear shear flow is investigated. The sphere Reynolds number, Re=|ur|d/ν, is in the range 0.5–200, where ur is the slip velocity. Direct numerical simulations of three-dimensional flow past an isolated sphere are performed using spectral methods. The sphere is allowed to rotate and translate freely in the shear flow in response to the hydrodynamic forces and torque acting on it. The effect of free rotation is studied in a systematic way by considering three sets of simulations. In the first set of simulations, we study how fast a pure rotational or translational motion of the sphere approaches steady state. The “history” effect of rotational and translational motions are compared. Results at high Re are found to be significantly different from the analytical prediction based on low Re theory. In steady simulations, the sphere is allowed to rotate in a torque-free condition. The torque-free rotation rate and the drag and lift forces under such a condition are reported. Comparisons are drawn with the forces on a nonrotating sphere. The effect of rotation is observed to be high in the range 5≲Re≲100. The total lift force is shown to be the sum of the lift force on a nonrotating sphere in shear flow and the lift force on a sphere that is forced to spin at the torque-free rotation rate in a uniform stream (Magnus effect). Finally, we consider the effect of combined free rotation and translation. It is observed that under such combined motion, the sphere achieves translational equilibrium with the local fluid much earlier than it can achieve the zero torque state. The sphere rotates at a rate much lower than the torque-free rotation rate. Free rotation is shown to have a negligible effect on the unsteady drag and lift forces.