The growth of secondary circulation in frictionless flow

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe appearance of a component of vorticity in the direction of flow materially alters the pattern of flow of a fluid in three dimensions. Expressions are obtained for this secondary vorticity in an inviscid compressible fluid flowing under the action of body forces. They are applied to examples such as a liquid under gravity and gas flow behind a curved shock. In compressible gas flow with varying temperature but constant stagnation pressure no secondary circulation appears. In a perfect gas atmosphere it is shown that secondary circulation may appear because of nou-adiabatic lapse rates as well as wind-speed gradients. It is also shown that in a liquid with a density gradient, gravitational effects can give rise to secondary vorticity components.