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''Kármán vortex shedding''
 
''Kármán vortex shedding''
  
 
A term defining the periodic detachment of pairs of alternate vortices from a bluff-body immersed in a fluid flow, generating an oscillating wake, or vortex street, behind it, and causing fluctuating forces to be experienced by the object. The phenomenon was first observed and analyzed on two-dimensional cylinders in a perpendicular uniform flow, but it is now widely documented for three-dimensional bodies and non-uniform flow fields. This is a situation where the energy subtracted from the flow field by the body drag is not dissipated directly into an irregular motion in the wake, but it is first transferred to a very regular vortex motion. The structure of the flow is then as schematically indicated in Fig.a1:
 
A term defining the periodic detachment of pairs of alternate vortices from a bluff-body immersed in a fluid flow, generating an oscillating wake, or vortex street, behind it, and causing fluctuating forces to be experienced by the object. The phenomenon was first observed and analyzed on two-dimensional cylinders in a perpendicular uniform flow, but it is now widely documented for three-dimensional bodies and non-uniform flow fields. This is a situation where the energy subtracted from the flow field by the body drag is not dissipated directly into an irregular motion in the wake, but it is first transferred to a very regular vortex motion. The structure of the flow is then as schematically indicated in Fig.a1:
  
<img style="border:1px solid;" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/common_img/v130110a.gif" />
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<img src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/common_img/v130110a.gif" style="border:1px solid;"/>
  
 
Figure: v130110a
 
Figure: v130110a
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The vortices at either side of the body have opposite intensities (directions of rotation) and are arranged in a particular geometrical pattern which can be observed even at some distance behind the obstacle. These vortices do not mix with the outer flow and are dissipated by viscosity only after a long time. It is this feature that allows a basic explanation of the phenomenon to be carried out in terms of inviscid flow, even if its origin can only be attributed to the viscosity, as will be discussed below. This idealized explanation was first proposed by Th. von Kármán [[#References|[a8]]], [[#References|[a9]]] (1911, 1912), and the phenomenon is since associated to his name, even if the first experimental observations were reported by the French physicist H. Bénard [[#References|[a10]]], [[#References|[a11]]], [[#References|[a13]]], [[#References|[a14]]], (1908, 1913, 1926) and A. Mallock [[#References|[a12]]] (1907); cf. also [[Ginzburg–Landau equation|Ginzburg–Landau equation]]. Early representations may be found in the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and in Flemish paintings of the XVI century.
 
The vortices at either side of the body have opposite intensities (directions of rotation) and are arranged in a particular geometrical pattern which can be observed even at some distance behind the obstacle. These vortices do not mix with the outer flow and are dissipated by viscosity only after a long time. It is this feature that allows a basic explanation of the phenomenon to be carried out in terms of inviscid flow, even if its origin can only be attributed to the viscosity, as will be discussed below. This idealized explanation was first proposed by Th. von Kármán [[#References|[a8]]], [[#References|[a9]]] (1911, 1912), and the phenomenon is since associated to his name, even if the first experimental observations were reported by the French physicist H. Bénard [[#References|[a10]]], [[#References|[a11]]], [[#References|[a13]]], [[#References|[a14]]], (1908, 1913, 1926) and A. Mallock [[#References|[a12]]] (1907); cf. also [[Ginzburg–Landau equation|Ginzburg–Landau equation]]. Early representations may be found in the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and in Flemish paintings of the XVI century.
  
Its idealized mathematical description, restricted to a two-dimensional flow, is based on the investigation of the stability of two parallel vortex sheets with vortices of equal but opposite intensity. Linear vortices of intensity <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v1301101.png" /> are located at equal distance from each other along these sheets and the motion resulting from the mutually induced velocity is investigated. (The intensity <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v1301102.png" /> of a vortex is based on its circulation and is defined as <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v1301103.png" />.)
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Its idealized mathematical description, restricted to a two-dimensional flow, is based on the investigation of the stability of two parallel vortex sheets with vortices of equal but opposite intensity. Linear vortices of intensity $\Gamma$ are located at equal distance from each other along these sheets and the motion resulting from the mutually induced velocity is investigated. (The intensity $\Gamma$ of a vortex is based on its circulation and is defined as $\Gamma : = \oint \overset{\rightharpoonup} { U } . d \overset{\rightharpoonup }{ r }$.)
  
 
A quick investigation (discussed in detail below) shows that only two different vortex arrangements do not produce transversal induced velocities on each other:
 
A quick investigation (discussed in detail below) shows that only two different vortex arrangements do not produce transversal induced velocities on each other:
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a) one with the eddies of one row situated exactly opposite those of the other row;
 
a) one with the eddies of one row situated exactly opposite those of the other row;
  
b) the second with the opposite eddies symmetrically staggered, as in Fig.a1. However, a linear stability analysis with respect to small disturbances shows that the first configuration is always dynamically unstable, while the second one becomes stable for one geometrical configuration specified by a definite value of the ratio <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v1301104.png" /> of the separation <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v1301105.png" /> between the sheets, to the longitudinal vortex separation <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v1301106.png" />. To be more accurate, at specific values of this ratio, the vortex pattern is in a situation of indifferent equilibrium with respect to disturbances of wave-length <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v1301107.png" />, the important ones since they are responsible for the induced velocities between vortices. The result obtained by von Kármán for the above ratio is
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b) the second with the opposite eddies symmetrically staggered, as in Fig.a1. However, a linear stability analysis with respect to small disturbances shows that the first configuration is always dynamically unstable, while the second one becomes stable for one geometrical configuration specified by a definite value of the ratio $b / l$ of the separation $b$ between the sheets, to the longitudinal vortex separation $l$. To be more accurate, at specific values of this ratio, the vortex pattern is in a situation of indifferent equilibrium with respect to disturbances of wave-length $2 l$, the important ones since they are responsible for the induced velocities between vortices. The result obtained by von Kármán for the above ratio is
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v1301108.png" /></td> </tr></table>
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\begin{equation*} \frac { b } { h } = \frac { 1 } { \pi } \operatorname { cosh } ^ { - 1 } \sqrt { 2 } \approx 0.2806, \end{equation*}
  
 
a value which is considered in very good agreement with the experimental observations for uniform flow around circular cylinders. Associated to this geometry there appears a particular longitudinal velocity for the ensemble of the alternating eddies, which was determined to be
 
a value which is considered in very good agreement with the experimental observations for uniform flow around circular cylinders. Associated to this geometry there appears a particular longitudinal velocity for the ensemble of the alternating eddies, which was determined to be
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v1301109.png" /></td> </tr></table>
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\begin{equation*} U_{\text{vortex}} = \frac { \Gamma } { l \sqrt { 8 } }, \end{equation*}
  
that is, the vortices detach from the body at a lower speed than the external flow and trail behind it. This means that around each individual vortex there is a number of closed streamlines. It should be noted that the von Kármán approach does not give any hint on the values of <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011010.png" /> and <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011011.png" /> relative to the dimension, or shape, of the body. This justifies the continuous actual research for the numerical solution to the problem, one of the challenging problems of present computational fluid dynamics (as of 2000).
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that is, the vortices detach from the body at a lower speed than the external flow and trail behind it. This means that around each individual vortex there is a number of closed streamlines. It should be noted that the von Kármán approach does not give any hint on the values of $b$ and $l$ relative to the dimension, or shape, of the body. This justifies the continuous actual research for the numerical solution to the problem, one of the challenging problems of present computational fluid dynamics (as of 2000).
  
This idealized formulation is based on the assumption of an inviscid fluid, while the generation of the vortices requires the fluid to be viscous. Also, as a consequence of the velocity defect of the vortex trail, the body shedding the vortices experiences a drag, leading to an apparent paradox. As stated by L. Prandtl [[#References|[a1]]], the explanation is given by the [[Boundary layer|boundary layer]] theory. From it, it can be seen that in the limit of viscosity equal to zero (<img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011012.png" />), the fluid can be considered frictionless everywhere except in a thin layer close to the body, where a different limit process (<img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011013.png" /> and not <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011014.png" />) must be performed in the [[Navier–Stokes equations|Navier–Stokes equations]]. It is in this region, so small to be negligible in the context of the overall flow field, but in which friction forces cannot be neglected no matter how small the viscosity, that the vorticity found in the vortex sheet is created.
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This idealized formulation is based on the assumption of an inviscid fluid, while the generation of the vortices requires the fluid to be viscous. Also, as a consequence of the velocity defect of the vortex trail, the body shedding the vortices experiences a drag, leading to an apparent paradox. As stated by L. Prandtl [[#References|[a1]]], the explanation is given by the [[Boundary layer|boundary layer]] theory. From it, it can be seen that in the limit of viscosity equal to zero ($\mu = 0$), the fluid can be considered frictionless everywhere except in a thin layer close to the body, where a different limit process ($\mu \rightarrow 0$ and not $\mu = 0$) must be performed in the [[Navier–Stokes equations|Navier–Stokes equations]]. It is in this region, so small to be negligible in the context of the overall flow field, but in which friction forces cannot be neglected no matter how small the viscosity, that the vorticity found in the vortex sheet is created.
  
 
==Induced velocities in vortex sheets.==
 
==Induced velocities in vortex sheets.==
In inviscid fluid dynamics a vortex sheet can be defined as the ideal plane that separate two streams of uniform but different velocity. One assumes that all the vorticity associated with the velocity jump is concentrated on this plane. If the vorticity is carried by distinct vortices placed at equal intervals, then the individual intensity <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011015.png" /> is only a function of the velocity difference <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011016.png" /> and separation <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011017.png" />, <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011018.png" />. Under these conditions it is easy to compute, for the two-dimensional case in a fluid at rest [[#References|[a2]]], the velocity induced on each vortex by all the others, and the eventual global displacement velocity of the sheets using the complex potential formulation of the velocity, where
+
In inviscid fluid dynamics a vortex sheet can be defined as the ideal plane that separate two streams of uniform but different velocity. One assumes that all the vorticity associated with the velocity jump is concentrated on this plane. If the vorticity is carried by distinct vortices placed at equal intervals, then the individual intensity $\Gamma$ is only a function of the velocity difference $\Delta U$ and separation $l$, <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011018.png"/>. Under these conditions it is easy to compute, for the two-dimensional case in a fluid at rest [[#References|[a2]]], the velocity induced on each vortex by all the others, and the eventual global displacement velocity of the sheets using the complex potential formulation of the velocity, where
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011019.png" /></td> </tr></table>
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\begin{equation*} \Phi = \phi - i \psi, \end{equation*}
  
 
with
 
with
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011020.png" /></td> </tr></table>
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\begin{equation*} w ( z ) = U _ { x } - i U _ { y } = \frac { d \Phi } { d z } , z = x + i y. \end{equation*}
  
With this convention, a single vortex of intensity <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011021.png" /> located at <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011022.png" /> has a complex potential
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With this convention, a single vortex of intensity $\Gamma$ located at $z_j$ has a complex potential
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011023.png" /></td> </tr></table>
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\begin{equation*} \Phi ( z ) = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } \operatorname { log } ( z - z _ { j } ). \end{equation*}
  
<img style="border:1px solid;" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/common_img/v130110b.gif" />
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<img src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/common_img/v130110b.gif" style="border:1px solid;"/>
  
 
Figure: v130110b
 
Figure: v130110b
  
For an infinite single sheet of vortices with separation <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011024.png" /> and position <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011025.png" />, <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011026.png" /> an integer, in a fluid at rest (cf. Fig.a2), the expression becomes
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For an infinite single sheet of vortices with separation $l$ and position $z = m l$, $m$ an integer, in a fluid at rest (cf. Fig.a2), the expression becomes
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011027.png" /></td> </tr></table>
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\begin{equation*} \Phi ( z ) = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } \sum _ { m = - \infty } ^ { \infty } \operatorname { log } ( z - ( z _ { 0 } - m l ) ), \end{equation*}
  
 
or
 
or
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011028.png" /></td> </tr></table>
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\begin{equation*} \Phi ( z ) = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } \operatorname { log } \left[ \prod _ { m = - \infty } ^ { \infty } ( z - ( z _ { 0 } - m l ) ) \right] = \end{equation*}
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011029.png" /></td> </tr></table>
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\begin{equation*} = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } \operatorname { log } \left[ \operatorname { sin } \frac { \pi z } { l } \right] + \text{const}. \end{equation*}
  
This corresponds to a velocity <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011030.png" /> of the vortices at <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011031.png" />:
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This corresponds to a velocity $w ( m , l )$ of the vortices at $z = m l$:
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011032.png" /></td> </tr></table>
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\begin{equation*} w ( m , l ) = \frac { d \Phi } { d z } = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } \left[ \operatorname { cotan } \frac { \pi z } { l } - \frac { 1 } { z - m l } \right] \equiv 0. \end{equation*}
  
 
The velocity of each vortex is equal to zero and the single vortex row remains at rest. However [[#References|[a3]]], the sheet is not stable: Under even the slightest disturbance it becomes undulatory and experimental observation shows that it then curls up into a series of large vortices.
 
The velocity of each vortex is equal to zero and the single vortex row remains at rest. However [[#References|[a3]]], the sheet is not stable: Under even the slightest disturbance it becomes undulatory and experimental observation shows that it then curls up into a series of large vortices.
  
Consider now a double sheet of vortices [[#References|[a4]]] with distance <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011033.png" /> between the sheets. All the vortices in each row have same intensity but the two rows have opposite senses of rotation. Even if the separation <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011034.png" /> between the vortices is the same, many arrangements are possible, since those in opposite rows are not necessarily opposed to each other. Applying the same development as for the single sheet, it can be derived that only two different symmetrical vortex arrangements do not produce transversal induced velocities [[#References|[a5]]]: the first with the eddies of one row situated exactly opposite those of the other row, and the second with the opposite eddies symmetrically staggered. In these cases the velocities induced by one row on the other are such as to cause only a forward motion of the facing row.
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Consider now a double sheet of vortices [[#References|[a4]]] with distance $b$ between the sheets. All the vortices in each row have same intensity but the two rows have opposite senses of rotation. Even if the separation $l$ between the vortices is the same, many arrangements are possible, since those in opposite rows are not necessarily opposed to each other. Applying the same development as for the single sheet, it can be derived that only two different symmetrical vortex arrangements do not produce transversal induced velocities [[#References|[a5]]]: the first with the eddies of one row situated exactly opposite those of the other row, and the second with the opposite eddies symmetrically staggered. In these cases the velocities induced by one row on the other are such as to cause only a forward motion of the facing row.
  
<img style="border:1px solid;" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/common_img/v130110c.gif" />
+
<img src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/common_img/v130110c.gif" style="border:1px solid;"/>
  
 
Figure: v130110c
 
Figure: v130110c
  
<img style="border:1px solid;" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/common_img/v130110d.gif" />
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<img src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/common_img/v130110d.gif" style="border:1px solid;"/>
  
 
Figure: v130110d
 
Figure: v130110d
  
For the case of vortices in opposition (Fig.a3) the induced velocity at vortex positions <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011035.png" />, <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011036.png" /> is
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For the case of vortices in opposition (Fig.a3) the induced velocity at vortex positions $z = m l + b / 2$, $z = m l - b / 2$ is
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011037.png" /></td> </tr></table>
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\begin{equation*} U = \frac { \Gamma } { 2 l } \operatorname { coth } \frac { \pi  b  } { l }, \end{equation*}
  
 
while for the alternating case (Fig.a4) one has
 
while for the alternating case (Fig.a4) one has
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011038.png" /></td> </tr></table>
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\begin{equation*} U = \frac { \Gamma } { 2 l } \operatorname { tanh } \frac { \pi  b  } { l }. \end{equation*}
  
 
In both cases, since the velocity is the same for each row, the result is a global displacement of the double vortex street.
 
In both cases, since the velocity is the same for each row, the result is a global displacement of the double vortex street.
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None of these arrangements is unconditionally stable under the effect of small perturbations, but it was the merit of von Kármán to show that, while the first is never stable, the alternate street may become so in certain particular geometrical vortex arrangements. For this case the complex potential is
 
None of these arrangements is unconditionally stable under the effect of small perturbations, but it was the merit of von Kármán to show that, while the first is never stable, the alternate street may become so in certain particular geometrical vortex arrangements. For this case the complex potential is
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011039.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} \Phi ( z ) = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } [ \operatorname { log } \operatorname { sin } \left( \frac { \pi } { l } \left( z - \frac { i b } { 2 } \right) \right) + \end{equation*}
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011040.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} - \operatorname { log } \operatorname { sin } \left. \left( \frac { \pi } { l } \left( z - \frac { l } { 2 } + \frac { i b } { 2 } \right) \right) \right] + \text{const}. \end{equation*}
  
 
It is based on this formulation that the small perturbation analysis is carried out. Evaluation of the stream function from the relation above shows that around each individual vortex there is a number of closed stream lines.
 
It is based on this formulation that the small perturbation analysis is carried out. Evaluation of the stream function from the relation above shows that around each individual vortex there is a number of closed stream lines.
  
 
==Stability analysis.==
 
==Stability analysis.==
In the original analysis, vortices which are at a given time at position <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011041.png" /> are assumed to be displaced to the position <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011042.png" /> by a disturbance of the type
+
In the original analysis, vortices which are at a given time at position $( m l + U t , \pm b / 2 )$ are assumed to be displaced to the position $( x _ { m, j} + m l + U t , y _ { m , j } \pm b / 2 )$ by a disturbance of the type
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011043.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} x _ { m , j } = \alpha _ { j } e ^ { i m \theta } , y _ { m , j } = \beta _ { j } e ^ { i m \theta } \end{equation*}
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011044.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} [ z = \gamma _ { j } e ^ { i m \theta } , \gamma = \alpha + i \beta ] , 0 &lt; \theta &lt; \pi, \end{equation*}
  
index <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011045.png" /> indicating the upper or lower row. If <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011046.png" /> is small, this has the character of an undulation of wave-length <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011047.png" />.
+
index $j$ indicating the upper or lower row. If $\theta$ is small, this has the character of an undulation of wave-length $2 \pi l / \theta$.
  
It is then possible to derive from the complex potential the equations for <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011048.png" />, <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011049.png" /> as functions of the various parameters. The solutions are of the type <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011050.png" />, a positive <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011051.png" /> indicating instability. This is always the case for the symmetrical double row. For the non-symmetric case
+
It is then possible to derive from the complex potential the equations for $d \alpha_{ j } / d t$, $d \beta _ { j } / d t$ as functions of the various parameters. The solutions are of the type $e ^ { \lambda t }$, a positive $\lambda$ indicating instability. This is always the case for the symmetrical double row. For the non-symmetric case
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011052.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} \lambda = \frac { \Gamma } { 2 \pi l ^ { 2 } } ( B ^ { 2 } \mp \sqrt { A ^ { 2 } - C ^ { 2 } } ), \end{equation*}
  
where <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011053.png" />, <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011054.png" /> and <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011055.png" /> are long functions of <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011056.png" /> and of the geometrical vortex arrangement. It suffices to say that for stability <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011057.png" /> and that for <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011058.png" /> (wave-length of disturbance equal to <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011059.png" />), <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011060.png" />. So, for stability <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011061.png" /> must vanish:
+
where $A$, $B$ and $C$ are long functions of $\theta$ and of the geometrical vortex arrangement. It suffices to say that for stability $A ^ { 2 } \leq C ^ { 2 }$ and that for $\theta = \pi$ (wave-length of disturbance equal to $2 l$), $C = 0$. So, for stability $A$ must vanish:
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011062.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} A = \frac { 1 } { 2 } \theta ( 2 \pi - \theta ) - \frac { \pi ^ { 2 } } { \operatorname { cosh } ^ { 2 } ( \pi b / l ) } = 0, \end{equation*}
  
 
or
 
or
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011063.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} \operatorname { cosh } ^ { 2 } \pi \frac { b } { l } = 2 ,\; \pi \frac { b } { l } \approx .8814 ,\; \frac { b } { l } \approx .2806, \end{equation*}
  
 
which is the result indicated in the introduction, and again
 
which is the result indicated in the introduction, and again
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011064.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} U = \frac { \Gamma } { 2 l } \operatorname { tanh } \frac { \pi b } { l } = \frac { \Gamma } { 2 l \sqrt { 2 } }. \end{equation*}
  
In the original paper von Kármán stated, but did not prove, that stability exists for all values of <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011065.png" /> in the range <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011066.png" /> to <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011067.png" />, that is, for all possible disturbance wavelengths. The proof is given by H. Lamb [[#References|[a4]]], who proved it to hold true except for <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011068.png" /> or <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011069.png" />, a situation in which the period of the disturbance is infinite and all fluid particles will move as a whole.
+
In the original paper von Kármán stated, but did not prove, that stability exists for all values of $\theta$ in the range $0$ to $2 \pi$, that is, for all possible disturbance wavelengths. The proof is given by H. Lamb [[#References|[a4]]], who proved it to hold true except for $\theta = 0$ or $\theta = 2 \pi$, a situation in which the period of the disturbance is infinite and all fluid particles will move as a whole.
  
 
==Drag due to vortex shedding.==
 
==Drag due to vortex shedding.==
As stated at the beginning, the drag of a body moving in a uniform flow can be computed using potential flow theory applied to the alternate shedding vortices. This result, also due to von Kármán for the case of a circular cylinder [[#References|[a6]]], is an apparent paradox, since inviscid fluids cannot produce drag, and is justified by the fact that the vorticity in the sheets is generated inside the body boundary layer, a region not taken in account in the above analysis. For a cylinder moving in a fluid at rest with velocity <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011070.png" />, the vortex street moves with a velocity <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011071.png" />. The motion in the wake of the cylinder is obviously unsteady, due to the periodic vortex shedding, but this difficulty is overcome by averaging over an observation time equal to the period between the release of two vortices of the same sheet:
+
As stated at the beginning, the drag of a body moving in a uniform flow can be computed using potential flow theory applied to the alternate shedding vortices. This result, also due to von Kármán for the case of a circular cylinder [[#References|[a6]]], is an apparent paradox, since inviscid fluids cannot produce drag, and is justified by the fact that the vorticity in the sheets is generated inside the body boundary layer, a region not taken in account in the above analysis. For a cylinder moving in a fluid at rest with velocity $V$, the vortex street moves with a velocity $V - U$. The motion in the wake of the cylinder is obviously unsteady, due to the periodic vortex shedding, but this difficulty is overcome by averaging over an observation time equal to the period between the release of two vortices of the same sheet:
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011072.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} T = \frac { l } { V - U }. \end{equation*}
  
Over this time the transfer in momentum to the vortex sheet between a cross-section far upstream of the cylinder and a corresponding one far downstream is equal to <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011073.png" />. Per unit time this becomes
+
Over this time the transfer in momentum to the vortex sheet between a cross-section far upstream of the cylinder and a corresponding one far downstream is equal to $M _ { 1 } = \rho \Delta V l b = \rho \Gamma  { b }$. Per unit time this becomes
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011074.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} d M _ { 1 } = \rho \frac { \Gamma  { b } } { l } ( - U ),  \end{equation*}
  
where <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011075.png" /> is the distance between the vortex sheets. Between the two reference sections, two other sources of resistance must be accounted for: that of the amount of fluid the velocity of which is reduced from that of the free flow, <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011076.png" />, to that of the wake, <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011077.png" />, and equal to [[#References|[a1]]]
+
where $b$ is the distance between the vortex sheets. Between the two reference sections, two other sources of resistance must be accounted for: that of the amount of fluid the velocity of which is reduced from that of the free flow, $V$, to that of the wake, $U$, and equal to [[#References|[a1]]]
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011078.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} d M _ { 2 } = \rho \frac { \Gamma  b  } { l } ( V - U ), \end{equation*}
  
 
and the momentum and pressure integral difference over the front and back sections, equal to
 
and the momentum and pressure integral difference over the front and back sections, equal to
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011079.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} d M _ { 3 } = \rho \frac { \Gamma ^ { 2 } } { 2 \pi l }. \end{equation*}
  
 
The total drag is then the sum
 
The total drag is then the sum
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011080.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} D = \rho \frac { \Gamma b } { l } ( V - 2 U ) + \rho \frac { \Gamma ^ { 2 } } { 2 \pi l } \approx \end{equation*}
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011081.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} \approx \rho \frac { V ^ { 2 } } { l } \left[ 1.587 \frac { U } { V } - 0.628 ( \frac { U } { V } ) ^ { 2 } \right], \end{equation*}
  
 
if the values previously obtained for the stable sheet are used.
 
if the values previously obtained for the stable sheet are used.
  
Again, it should by noted that with the von Kármán theory it is not possible to calculate <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011082.png" />, <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011083.png" /> and <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011084.png" /> for a given obstacle. However, it allows one to determine the drag when they are measured, for instance from a visualisation of the vortex trail and the frequency of vortex release. Experimental results are then in good agreement with the expected theoretical results.
+
Again, it should by noted that with the von Kármán theory it is not possible to calculate $l$, $b$ and $U$ for a given obstacle. However, it allows one to determine the drag when they are measured, for instance from a visualisation of the vortex trail and the frequency of vortex release. Experimental results are then in good agreement with the expected theoretical results.
  
Finally, denoting by <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011085.png" /> the drag coefficient, defined as
+
Finally, denoting by $\operatorname { Cd}$ the drag coefficient, defined as
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011086.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} \operatorname{Cd} = \frac { D } { \rho V ^ { 2 } b }, \end{equation*}
  
and by <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011087.png" /> the frequency of the vortex release, then
+
and by $f$ the frequency of the vortex release, then
  
<table class="eq" style="width:100%;"> <tr><td valign="top" style="width:94%;text-align:center;"><img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011088.png" /></td> </tr></table>
+
\begin{equation*} \operatorname{Cd} \approx \frac { l } { b } , f \approx \frac { l } { U } , \operatorname{Cd} \approx \frac { f U } { d } , \operatorname{Cd} \approx \frac { 1 } { \operatorname{St} } ,  \end{equation*}
  
where <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/v/v130/v130110/v13011089.png" /> is the [[Strouhal number|Strouhal number]], defined on the vortex street width and velocity. The fact that the drag coefficient and the Strouhal number are inversely proportional [[#References|[a7]]] for a wide range of two-dimensional bodies has been observed in a number of experiments.
+
where $\operatorname{St}$ is the [[Strouhal number|Strouhal number]], defined on the vortex street width and velocity. The fact that the drag coefficient and the Strouhal number are inversely proportional [[#References|[a7]]] for a wide range of two-dimensional bodies has been observed in a number of experiments.
  
 
====References====
 
====References====
<table><TR><TD valign="top">[a1]</TD> <TD valign="top">  L. Prandtl,  O.G. Tietjens,  "Applied hydro and aeromechanics" , Dover  (1957)</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a2]</TD> <TD valign="top">  E. Gyuon,  J.P. Hulin,  L. Petit,  "Hydrodynamique physique" , Intereditions/Ed. du CNRS  (1957)</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a3]</TD> <TD valign="top">  J.M. Robertson,  "Hydrodynamics in theory and applications" , Prentice-Hall  (1965)</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a4]</TD> <TD valign="top">  H. Lamb,  "Hydrodynamics" , Cambridge Univ. Press  (1932)</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a5]</TD> <TD valign="top">  A.W. Maue,  "Zur Stabilität der Karmansche Wirbelstrasse"  ''Z. Angew. Math. Mech.'' , '''20'''  (1940)  pp. 129–137</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a6]</TD> <TD valign="top">  T. von Kármán,  H.L. Rubach,  "On the mechanisms of fluid resistance"  ''Physik Z.'' , '''13'''  (1912)  pp. 49–59</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a7]</TD> <TD valign="top">  S. Hoerner,  "Fluid dynamic drag"  S. Hoerner (ed.)  (1962)</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a8]</TD> <TD valign="top">  T. von Kármán,  ''Nachr. Ges. Wissenschaft. Göttingen''  (1911)  pp. 509–517</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a9]</TD> <TD valign="top">  T. von Kármán,  ''Nachr. Ges. Wissenschaft. Göttingen''  (1912)  pp. 547–556</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a10]</TD> <TD valign="top">  H. Bénard,  ''C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris'' , '''147'''  (1908)  pp. 839–842; 970–972</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a11]</TD> <TD valign="top">  H. Bénard,  ''C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris'' , '''156'''  (1913)  pp. 1003–1005; 1225–1228</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a12]</TD> <TD valign="top">  A. Mallock,  ''Proc. Royal Soc.'' , '''A79'''  (1907)  pp. 262–265</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a13]</TD> <TD valign="top">  H. Bénard,  ''C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris'' , '''182'''  (1926)  pp. 1375–1377; 1523–1525</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[a14]</TD> <TD valign="top">  H. Bénard,  ''C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris'' , '''183'''  (1926)  pp. 20–22; 184–186; 379</TD></TR></table>
+
<table><tr><td valign="top">[a1]</td> <td valign="top">  L. Prandtl,  O.G. Tietjens,  "Applied hydro and aeromechanics" , Dover  (1957)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a2]</td> <td valign="top">  E. Gyuon,  J.P. Hulin,  L. Petit,  "Hydrodynamique physique" , Intereditions/Ed. du CNRS  (1957)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a3]</td> <td valign="top">  J.M. Robertson,  "Hydrodynamics in theory and applications" , Prentice-Hall  (1965)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a4]</td> <td valign="top">  H. Lamb,  "Hydrodynamics" , Cambridge Univ. Press  (1932)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a5]</td> <td valign="top">  A.W. Maue,  "Zur Stabilität der Karmansche Wirbelstrasse"  ''Z. Angew. Math. Mech.'' , '''20'''  (1940)  pp. 129–137</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a6]</td> <td valign="top">  T. von Kármán,  H.L. Rubach,  "On the mechanisms of fluid resistance"  ''Physik Z.'' , '''13'''  (1912)  pp. 49–59</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a7]</td> <td valign="top">  S. Hoerner,  "Fluid dynamic drag"  S. Hoerner (ed.)  (1962)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a8]</td> <td valign="top">  T. von Kármán,  ''Nachr. Ges. Wissenschaft. Göttingen''  (1911)  pp. 509–517</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a9]</td> <td valign="top">  T. von Kármán,  ''Nachr. Ges. Wissenschaft. Göttingen''  (1912)  pp. 547–556</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a10]</td> <td valign="top">  H. Bénard,  ''C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris'' , '''147'''  (1908)  pp. 839–842; 970–972</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a11]</td> <td valign="top">  H. Bénard,  ''C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris'' , '''156'''  (1913)  pp. 1003–1005; 1225–1228</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a12]</td> <td valign="top">  A. Mallock,  ''Proc. Royal Soc.'' , '''A79'''  (1907)  pp. 262–265</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a13]</td> <td valign="top">  H. Bénard,  ''C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris'' , '''182'''  (1926)  pp. 1375–1377; 1523–1525</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">[a14]</td> <td valign="top">  H. Bénard,  ''C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris'' , '''183'''  (1926)  pp. 20–22; 184–186; 379</td></tr></table>

Latest revision as of 17:46, 1 July 2020

Kármán vortex shedding

A term defining the periodic detachment of pairs of alternate vortices from a bluff-body immersed in a fluid flow, generating an oscillating wake, or vortex street, behind it, and causing fluctuating forces to be experienced by the object. The phenomenon was first observed and analyzed on two-dimensional cylinders in a perpendicular uniform flow, but it is now widely documented for three-dimensional bodies and non-uniform flow fields. This is a situation where the energy subtracted from the flow field by the body drag is not dissipated directly into an irregular motion in the wake, but it is first transferred to a very regular vortex motion. The structure of the flow is then as schematically indicated in Fig.a1:

Figure: v130110a

The alternate vortex shedding is considered as responsible for a remarkable number of collapses of civil structures and damage to industrial equipment.

The vortices at either side of the body have opposite intensities (directions of rotation) and are arranged in a particular geometrical pattern which can be observed even at some distance behind the obstacle. These vortices do not mix with the outer flow and are dissipated by viscosity only after a long time. It is this feature that allows a basic explanation of the phenomenon to be carried out in terms of inviscid flow, even if its origin can only be attributed to the viscosity, as will be discussed below. This idealized explanation was first proposed by Th. von Kármán [a8], [a9] (1911, 1912), and the phenomenon is since associated to his name, even if the first experimental observations were reported by the French physicist H. Bénard [a10], [a11], [a13], [a14], (1908, 1913, 1926) and A. Mallock [a12] (1907); cf. also Ginzburg–Landau equation. Early representations may be found in the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and in Flemish paintings of the XVI century.

Its idealized mathematical description, restricted to a two-dimensional flow, is based on the investigation of the stability of two parallel vortex sheets with vortices of equal but opposite intensity. Linear vortices of intensity $\Gamma$ are located at equal distance from each other along these sheets and the motion resulting from the mutually induced velocity is investigated. (The intensity $\Gamma$ of a vortex is based on its circulation and is defined as $\Gamma : = \oint \overset{\rightharpoonup} { U } . d \overset{\rightharpoonup }{ r }$.)

A quick investigation (discussed in detail below) shows that only two different vortex arrangements do not produce transversal induced velocities on each other:

a) one with the eddies of one row situated exactly opposite those of the other row;

b) the second with the opposite eddies symmetrically staggered, as in Fig.a1. However, a linear stability analysis with respect to small disturbances shows that the first configuration is always dynamically unstable, while the second one becomes stable for one geometrical configuration specified by a definite value of the ratio $b / l$ of the separation $b$ between the sheets, to the longitudinal vortex separation $l$. To be more accurate, at specific values of this ratio, the vortex pattern is in a situation of indifferent equilibrium with respect to disturbances of wave-length $2 l$, the important ones since they are responsible for the induced velocities between vortices. The result obtained by von Kármán for the above ratio is

\begin{equation*} \frac { b } { h } = \frac { 1 } { \pi } \operatorname { cosh } ^ { - 1 } \sqrt { 2 } \approx 0.2806, \end{equation*}

a value which is considered in very good agreement with the experimental observations for uniform flow around circular cylinders. Associated to this geometry there appears a particular longitudinal velocity for the ensemble of the alternating eddies, which was determined to be

\begin{equation*} U_{\text{vortex}} = \frac { \Gamma } { l \sqrt { 8 } }, \end{equation*}

that is, the vortices detach from the body at a lower speed than the external flow and trail behind it. This means that around each individual vortex there is a number of closed streamlines. It should be noted that the von Kármán approach does not give any hint on the values of $b$ and $l$ relative to the dimension, or shape, of the body. This justifies the continuous actual research for the numerical solution to the problem, one of the challenging problems of present computational fluid dynamics (as of 2000).

This idealized formulation is based on the assumption of an inviscid fluid, while the generation of the vortices requires the fluid to be viscous. Also, as a consequence of the velocity defect of the vortex trail, the body shedding the vortices experiences a drag, leading to an apparent paradox. As stated by L. Prandtl [a1], the explanation is given by the boundary layer theory. From it, it can be seen that in the limit of viscosity equal to zero ($\mu = 0$), the fluid can be considered frictionless everywhere except in a thin layer close to the body, where a different limit process ($\mu \rightarrow 0$ and not $\mu = 0$) must be performed in the Navier–Stokes equations. It is in this region, so small to be negligible in the context of the overall flow field, but in which friction forces cannot be neglected no matter how small the viscosity, that the vorticity found in the vortex sheet is created.

Induced velocities in vortex sheets.

In inviscid fluid dynamics a vortex sheet can be defined as the ideal plane that separate two streams of uniform but different velocity. One assumes that all the vorticity associated with the velocity jump is concentrated on this plane. If the vorticity is carried by distinct vortices placed at equal intervals, then the individual intensity $\Gamma$ is only a function of the velocity difference $\Delta U$ and separation $l$, . Under these conditions it is easy to compute, for the two-dimensional case in a fluid at rest [a2], the velocity induced on each vortex by all the others, and the eventual global displacement velocity of the sheets using the complex potential formulation of the velocity, where

\begin{equation*} \Phi = \phi - i \psi, \end{equation*}

with

\begin{equation*} w ( z ) = U _ { x } - i U _ { y } = \frac { d \Phi } { d z } , z = x + i y. \end{equation*}

With this convention, a single vortex of intensity $\Gamma$ located at $z_j$ has a complex potential

\begin{equation*} \Phi ( z ) = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } \operatorname { log } ( z - z _ { j } ). \end{equation*}

Figure: v130110b

For an infinite single sheet of vortices with separation $l$ and position $z = m l$, $m$ an integer, in a fluid at rest (cf. Fig.a2), the expression becomes

\begin{equation*} \Phi ( z ) = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } \sum _ { m = - \infty } ^ { \infty } \operatorname { log } ( z - ( z _ { 0 } - m l ) ), \end{equation*}

or

\begin{equation*} \Phi ( z ) = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } \operatorname { log } \left[ \prod _ { m = - \infty } ^ { \infty } ( z - ( z _ { 0 } - m l ) ) \right] = \end{equation*}

\begin{equation*} = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } \operatorname { log } \left[ \operatorname { sin } \frac { \pi z } { l } \right] + \text{const}. \end{equation*}

This corresponds to a velocity $w ( m , l )$ of the vortices at $z = m l$:

\begin{equation*} w ( m , l ) = \frac { d \Phi } { d z } = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } \left[ \operatorname { cotan } \frac { \pi z } { l } - \frac { 1 } { z - m l } \right] \equiv 0. \end{equation*}

The velocity of each vortex is equal to zero and the single vortex row remains at rest. However [a3], the sheet is not stable: Under even the slightest disturbance it becomes undulatory and experimental observation shows that it then curls up into a series of large vortices.

Consider now a double sheet of vortices [a4] with distance $b$ between the sheets. All the vortices in each row have same intensity but the two rows have opposite senses of rotation. Even if the separation $l$ between the vortices is the same, many arrangements are possible, since those in opposite rows are not necessarily opposed to each other. Applying the same development as for the single sheet, it can be derived that only two different symmetrical vortex arrangements do not produce transversal induced velocities [a5]: the first with the eddies of one row situated exactly opposite those of the other row, and the second with the opposite eddies symmetrically staggered. In these cases the velocities induced by one row on the other are such as to cause only a forward motion of the facing row.

Figure: v130110c

Figure: v130110d

For the case of vortices in opposition (Fig.a3) the induced velocity at vortex positions $z = m l + b / 2$, $z = m l - b / 2$ is

\begin{equation*} U = \frac { \Gamma } { 2 l } \operatorname { coth } \frac { \pi b } { l }, \end{equation*}

while for the alternating case (Fig.a4) one has

\begin{equation*} U = \frac { \Gamma } { 2 l } \operatorname { tanh } \frac { \pi b } { l }. \end{equation*}

In both cases, since the velocity is the same for each row, the result is a global displacement of the double vortex street.

None of these arrangements is unconditionally stable under the effect of small perturbations, but it was the merit of von Kármán to show that, while the first is never stable, the alternate street may become so in certain particular geometrical vortex arrangements. For this case the complex potential is

\begin{equation*} \Phi ( z ) = - \frac { i \Gamma } { 2 \pi } [ \operatorname { log } \operatorname { sin } \left( \frac { \pi } { l } \left( z - \frac { i b } { 2 } \right) \right) + \end{equation*}

\begin{equation*} - \operatorname { log } \operatorname { sin } \left. \left( \frac { \pi } { l } \left( z - \frac { l } { 2 } + \frac { i b } { 2 } \right) \right) \right] + \text{const}. \end{equation*}

It is based on this formulation that the small perturbation analysis is carried out. Evaluation of the stream function from the relation above shows that around each individual vortex there is a number of closed stream lines.

Stability analysis.

In the original analysis, vortices which are at a given time at position $( m l + U t , \pm b / 2 )$ are assumed to be displaced to the position $( x _ { m, j} + m l + U t , y _ { m , j } \pm b / 2 )$ by a disturbance of the type

\begin{equation*} x _ { m , j } = \alpha _ { j } e ^ { i m \theta } , y _ { m , j } = \beta _ { j } e ^ { i m \theta } \end{equation*}

\begin{equation*} [ z = \gamma _ { j } e ^ { i m \theta } , \gamma = \alpha + i \beta ] , 0 < \theta < \pi, \end{equation*}

index $j$ indicating the upper or lower row. If $\theta$ is small, this has the character of an undulation of wave-length $2 \pi l / \theta$.

It is then possible to derive from the complex potential the equations for $d \alpha_{ j } / d t$, $d \beta _ { j } / d t$ as functions of the various parameters. The solutions are of the type $e ^ { \lambda t }$, a positive $\lambda$ indicating instability. This is always the case for the symmetrical double row. For the non-symmetric case

\begin{equation*} \lambda = \frac { \Gamma } { 2 \pi l ^ { 2 } } ( B ^ { 2 } \mp \sqrt { A ^ { 2 } - C ^ { 2 } } ), \end{equation*}

where $A$, $B$ and $C$ are long functions of $\theta$ and of the geometrical vortex arrangement. It suffices to say that for stability $A ^ { 2 } \leq C ^ { 2 }$ and that for $\theta = \pi$ (wave-length of disturbance equal to $2 l$), $C = 0$. So, for stability $A$ must vanish:

\begin{equation*} A = \frac { 1 } { 2 } \theta ( 2 \pi - \theta ) - \frac { \pi ^ { 2 } } { \operatorname { cosh } ^ { 2 } ( \pi b / l ) } = 0, \end{equation*}

or

\begin{equation*} \operatorname { cosh } ^ { 2 } \pi \frac { b } { l } = 2 ,\; \pi \frac { b } { l } \approx .8814 ,\; \frac { b } { l } \approx .2806, \end{equation*}

which is the result indicated in the introduction, and again

\begin{equation*} U = \frac { \Gamma } { 2 l } \operatorname { tanh } \frac { \pi b } { l } = \frac { \Gamma } { 2 l \sqrt { 2 } }. \end{equation*}

In the original paper von Kármán stated, but did not prove, that stability exists for all values of $\theta$ in the range $0$ to $2 \pi$, that is, for all possible disturbance wavelengths. The proof is given by H. Lamb [a4], who proved it to hold true except for $\theta = 0$ or $\theta = 2 \pi$, a situation in which the period of the disturbance is infinite and all fluid particles will move as a whole.

Drag due to vortex shedding.

As stated at the beginning, the drag of a body moving in a uniform flow can be computed using potential flow theory applied to the alternate shedding vortices. This result, also due to von Kármán for the case of a circular cylinder [a6], is an apparent paradox, since inviscid fluids cannot produce drag, and is justified by the fact that the vorticity in the sheets is generated inside the body boundary layer, a region not taken in account in the above analysis. For a cylinder moving in a fluid at rest with velocity $V$, the vortex street moves with a velocity $V - U$. The motion in the wake of the cylinder is obviously unsteady, due to the periodic vortex shedding, but this difficulty is overcome by averaging over an observation time equal to the period between the release of two vortices of the same sheet:

\begin{equation*} T = \frac { l } { V - U }. \end{equation*}

Over this time the transfer in momentum to the vortex sheet between a cross-section far upstream of the cylinder and a corresponding one far downstream is equal to $M _ { 1 } = \rho \Delta V l b = \rho \Gamma { b }$. Per unit time this becomes

\begin{equation*} d M _ { 1 } = \rho \frac { \Gamma { b } } { l } ( - U ), \end{equation*}

where $b$ is the distance between the vortex sheets. Between the two reference sections, two other sources of resistance must be accounted for: that of the amount of fluid the velocity of which is reduced from that of the free flow, $V$, to that of the wake, $U$, and equal to [a1]

\begin{equation*} d M _ { 2 } = \rho \frac { \Gamma b } { l } ( V - U ), \end{equation*}

and the momentum and pressure integral difference over the front and back sections, equal to

\begin{equation*} d M _ { 3 } = \rho \frac { \Gamma ^ { 2 } } { 2 \pi l }. \end{equation*}

The total drag is then the sum

\begin{equation*} D = \rho \frac { \Gamma b } { l } ( V - 2 U ) + \rho \frac { \Gamma ^ { 2 } } { 2 \pi l } \approx \end{equation*}

\begin{equation*} \approx \rho \frac { V ^ { 2 } } { l } \left[ 1.587 \frac { U } { V } - 0.628 ( \frac { U } { V } ) ^ { 2 } \right], \end{equation*}

if the values previously obtained for the stable sheet are used.

Again, it should by noted that with the von Kármán theory it is not possible to calculate $l$, $b$ and $U$ for a given obstacle. However, it allows one to determine the drag when they are measured, for instance from a visualisation of the vortex trail and the frequency of vortex release. Experimental results are then in good agreement with the expected theoretical results.

Finally, denoting by $\operatorname { Cd}$ the drag coefficient, defined as

\begin{equation*} \operatorname{Cd} = \frac { D } { \rho V ^ { 2 } b }, \end{equation*}

and by $f$ the frequency of the vortex release, then

\begin{equation*} \operatorname{Cd} \approx \frac { l } { b } , f \approx \frac { l } { U } , \operatorname{Cd} \approx \frac { f U } { d } , \operatorname{Cd} \approx \frac { 1 } { \operatorname{St} } , \end{equation*}

where $\operatorname{St}$ is the Strouhal number, defined on the vortex street width and velocity. The fact that the drag coefficient and the Strouhal number are inversely proportional [a7] for a wide range of two-dimensional bodies has been observed in a number of experiments.

References

[a1] L. Prandtl, O.G. Tietjens, "Applied hydro and aeromechanics" , Dover (1957)
[a2] E. Gyuon, J.P. Hulin, L. Petit, "Hydrodynamique physique" , Intereditions/Ed. du CNRS (1957)
[a3] J.M. Robertson, "Hydrodynamics in theory and applications" , Prentice-Hall (1965)
[a4] H. Lamb, "Hydrodynamics" , Cambridge Univ. Press (1932)
[a5] A.W. Maue, "Zur Stabilität der Karmansche Wirbelstrasse" Z. Angew. Math. Mech. , 20 (1940) pp. 129–137
[a6] T. von Kármán, H.L. Rubach, "On the mechanisms of fluid resistance" Physik Z. , 13 (1912) pp. 49–59
[a7] S. Hoerner, "Fluid dynamic drag" S. Hoerner (ed.) (1962)
[a8] T. von Kármán, Nachr. Ges. Wissenschaft. Göttingen (1911) pp. 509–517
[a9] T. von Kármán, Nachr. Ges. Wissenschaft. Göttingen (1912) pp. 547–556
[a10] H. Bénard, C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris , 147 (1908) pp. 839–842; 970–972
[a11] H. Bénard, C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris , 156 (1913) pp. 1003–1005; 1225–1228
[a12] A. Mallock, Proc. Royal Soc. , A79 (1907) pp. 262–265
[a13] H. Bénard, C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris , 182 (1926) pp. 1375–1377; 1523–1525
[a14] H. Bénard, C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris , 183 (1926) pp. 20–22; 184–186; 379
How to Cite This Entry:
Von Kármán vortex shedding. Encyclopedia of Mathematics. URL: http://encyclopediaofmath.org/index.php?title=Von_K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_vortex_shedding&oldid=14279
This article was adapted from an original article by D. Olivari (originator), which appeared in Encyclopedia of Mathematics - ISBN 1402006098. See original article