Elastically Modulated Vortex Interaction in Taylor-Couette flows

Taylor-Couette flow, between two concentric cylinders, has been used extensively for the case of viscoelastic instabilities, revealing different transitional mechanisms leading to Elasto-Inertial Turbulence (EIT). These mechanisms involve vortex chaotic interaction like vortex merging and splitting (MST/VMS) (Lacassagne et al., 2020; Lopez, 2022). However, visualization techniques or numerical methods are used in most cases.

Implementing Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) for fluids of different elasticities (El=0.06-El=0.34), we give insight into the fundamental mechanistic differences of vortex interactions based on fluid elasticity on the route to EIT.

Lacassagne, T., Cagney, N., Gillissen, J. J. J., & Balabani, S. (2020). Vortex merging and splitting: A route to elastoinertial turbulence in Taylor-Couette flow. Physical Review Fluids, 5(11), 113303. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.5.113303

Lopez, J. M. (2022). Vortex merging and splitting events in viscoelastic Taylor-Couette flow. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 946, A27. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2022.579