/pdf/lagrangian-coherent-structures-and-mixing-in-two-dimensional-4o5udmdfy8.pdf

Lagrangian coherent structures and mixing in two-dimensional turbulence

The artificial millimeter-scale “autonomous movers” glide across the surface of a liquid without an external power source. This system is based on a combination of two processes: Motion of individual objects powered by the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, and relative motion (self-assembly) caused by capillary interactions at the fluid/air interface. The picture shows the rotational/translational motion of a single object; the motion of a pair of these object depends on their chirality.

Autonomous Movement and Self‐Assembly

The simplest mixing problem corresponds to the mixing of a fluid with itself; this case provides a foundation on which the subject rests. The objective here is to study mixing independently of the mechanisms used to create the motion and review elements of theory focusing mostly on mathematical foundations and minimal models. The flows under consideration will be of two types: two-dimensional (2D) 'blinking flows', or three-dimensional (3D) duct flows. Given that mixing in continuous 3D duct flows depends critically on cross-sectional mixing, and that many microfluidic applications involve continuous flows, we focus on the essential aspects of mixing in 2D flows, as they provide a foundation from which to base our understanding of more complex cases. The baker's transformation is taken as the centrepiece for describing the dynamical systems framework. In particular, a hierarchy of characterizations of mixing exist, Bernoulli --> mixing --> ergodic, ordered according to the quality of mixing (the strongest first). Most importantly for the design process, we show how the so-called linked twist maps function as a minimal picture of mixing, provide a mathematical structure for understanding the type of 2D flows that arise in many micromixers already built, and give conditions guaranteeing the best quality mixing. Extensions of these concepts lead to first-principle-based designs without resorting to lengthy computations.

Foundations of chaotic mixing.

Finite time transport in aperiodic flows

A complex Stokes flow has several cells, is subject to bifurcation, and its velocity field is, with rare exceptions, only available from numerical computations. We present experimental and computational studies of two new complex Stokes flows: a vortex mixing flow and multicell flows in slender cavities. We develop topological relations between the geometry of the flow domain and the family of physically realizable flows; we study bifurcations and symmetries, in particular to reveal how the forcing protocol's phase hides or reveals symmetries. Using a variety of dynamical tools, comparisons of boundary integral equation numerical computations to dye advection experiments are made throughout. Several findings challenge commonly accepted wisdom. For example, we show that higher-order periodic points can be more important than period-one points in establishing the advection template and extended regions of large stretching. We demonstrate also that a broad class of forcing functions produces the same qualitative mixing patterns. We experimentally verify the existence of potential mixing zones for adiabatic forcing and investigate the crossover from adiabatic to non-adiabatic behaviour. Finally, we use the entire array of tools to address an optimization problem for a complex flow. We conclude that none of the dynamical tools alone can successfully fulfil the role of a merit function; however, the collection of tools can be applied successively as a dynamical sieve to uncover a global optimum.

Experimental and computational studies of mixing in complex Stokes flows: the vortex mixing flow and multicellular cavity flows

We consider the problem of transport of a passive tracer in the time-dependent flow corresponding to a Rayleigh number scrR slightly above the scrRt at the onset of the even oscillatory instability for Rayleigh-Benard convection rolls. By modeling the flow with a stream function, we show how to construct and identify invariant structures in the flow that act as a ‘‘template’’ for the motion of fluid particles, in the absence of molecular diffusivity. This approach and symmetry considerations allow us to write explicit formulas that describe the tracer transport for finite times. In the limit of small amplitude of the oscillation, i.e., when (scrR-scrRt)1/2 is small, we show that the amount of fluid transported across a roll boundary grows linearly with the amplitude, in agreement with the experimental and numerical findings of Solomon and Gollub [Phys. Rev. A 38, 6280 (1988)]. The presence of molecular diffusivity introduces a (long) time scale into the problem. We discuss the applicability of the theory in this situation, by introducing a simple rule for determining when the effects of diffusivity are negligible, and perform numerical simulations of the flow in this case to provide an example.

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R. Camassa

Papers

Chaotic advection in a Rayleigh-Bénard flow