Investigation of Lamb–Oseen Vortex Evolution and Decay in Ground Proximity With Obstacle

Abstract

The physical mechanism for the evolution and decay of Lamb–Oseen vortex pair in ground proximity with an obstacle has been investigated in detail by adopting the large eddy simulation (LES). In the present research, we mainly focus on the vortex evolution and decay mechanism in ground proximity with obstacle, so we chose one fixed height of the obstacle case (h0 = 0.5b0) to investigate, and the obstacle is placed transversally to the axis of the primary wake to be analyzed. The trajectories of the primary wake-vortex cores and the circulation profiles, as well as the distribution of the tangential velocity on different axial positions, have been specifically captured and analyzed. The “strake,” “claw,” and “ivory” vortices have been newly found and defined at the initial evolution stage, and they subsequently begin to harshly wind and rotate with the primary vortex. A flow structure with double helix conical shapes of the primary vortex has been found in the obstacle case. The pressure waves along the vortex axis have also been analyzed in detail. The wake-vortex on each side would be pulled in opposite axial directions and eventually pinched off at the upper surface of obstacle. Moreover, it has also been newly found that the trajectories of the wake-vortex in longitudinal directions at different axial distances away from the obstacle will experience two kinds of motion: only descending and rebounding after descending. Results obtained in this study provide a better understanding of mechanisms for the interaction of wake-vortex and the obstacle.