Three-dimensionality in quasi-two dimensional flows: recirculations and barrel effects

Abstract

A scenario is put forward for the appearance of three-dimensionality both in quasi-2D rotating flows and quasi-2D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows. We show that 3D recirculating flows and currents originate in wall boundary layers and that, unlike in ordinary hydrodynamic flows, they cannot be ignited by confinement alone. They also induce a second form of three-dimensionality with quadratic variations of velocities and current across the channel. This scenario explains both the common tendency of these flows to two-dimensionality and the mechanisms of the recirculations through a single formal analogy covering a wide class of flow including rotating and MHD flows. These trans-disciplinary effects are thus active in atmospheres, oceans or the cooling blankets of nuclear fusion reactors.

6 pages, 1 Figure

References in corpus (4)

• An effective two-dimensional model for MHD flows with transverse magnetic field
• Turbulence damping as a measure of the flow dimensionality
• Large-scale intermittency of liquid-metal channel flow in a magnetic field
• Effective boundary conditions for magnetohydrodynamic flows with thin Hartmann layers

Cited by in corpus (13)

• Strong anisotropy in quasi-static magnetohydrodynamic turbulence for high interaction parameters
• Anisotropy in Quasi-Static Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence
• Why, how and when MHD turbulence at low $Rm$ becomes three-dimensional
• Velocity Profile in a Two-Layer Kolmogorov-Like Flow
• Do magnetic fields enhance turbulence at low magnetic Reynolds number ?
• From three-dimensional to quasi-two-dimensional: Transient growth in magnetohydrodynamic duct flows
• Direct and inverse pumping in flows with homogeneous and non-homogeneous swirl
• Scaling laws in axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic duct flows
• Turbulence in electromagnetically-driven Keplerian flows
• Mean flow anisotropy without waves in rotating turbulence
• Subcritical transition to turbulence in quasi-two-dimensional shear flows
• Transition between advection and inertial wave propagation in rotating turbulence
• The decay of wall-bounded MHD turbulence at low Rm