Finite-amplitude waves in plane Poiseuille flow

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6474814

Pugh, J D

Nonlinear behavior in plane Poiseuille flow has attracted interest over the last decade, both because of its tractability and because it is believed that some of the results may be applicable to phenomena occurring in the boundary layer. The author investigated the existence of three-dimensional finite-amplitude waves in plane Poiseuille flow, in the hope of finding candidates for a class of simple flows that might provide insight into the nature of turbulence. These so-called vortical states would exist as attractors for the turbulent flow and mimic many of its properties. One of the requisite properties of these simple flows is existence at the low Reynolds numbers observed in experimental studies of transition to turbulence in plane Poiseuille flow. Although no such three-dimensional solutions were found in this study, a number of new insights were made into the structure and stability of two- and three-dimensional steady-wave solutions in plane Poiseuille flow. These in turn suggest new areas of investigation for finding vortical states.

• Research Organization: California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6474814
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420400* -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
BOUNDARY LAYERS
FLUID FLOW
LAMINAR FLOW
LAYERS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TRANSITION FLOW
TURBULENT FLOW
VORTICES
WAVE PROPAGATION