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The mysterious power of vortex rings: Why can they keep moving in the air?
Vortex rings, also known as annular vortices, present a fascinating phenomenon that affects fluid dynamics. It is shaped like a ring, with the fluid rotating along an invisible axis, forming a unique movement pattern. These vortex rings are ubiquitous in turbulent flows of liquids and gases but are often unnoticeable, only being noticed when the motion of the fluid is made visible by suspended particles, such as in smoke rings or fire puffs.
The visible vortex rings not only attracted the attention of scientists, but also became a tool for some magicians and acrobats to show off their skills.
Structure of vortex ring
The flow characteristics of the vortex ring enable it to move stably in the fluid. The internal fluid of these rings exhibits a circular rotational motion, and as the vortex core approaches, the angular velocity of the fluid gradually increases, which concentrates the energy near the core and reduces the loss of mass and kinetic energy.
Compared to normal flow, vortex rings carry fluid without dispersing mass, which enhances their ability to continue moving through the air.
This unique mechanism of motion explains why many examples in life, such as smoke rings, continue to move forward without additional propulsion. The existence of smoke rings allows people to intuitively understand the beauty, ingenuity and power of this physical phenomenon.
The formation process of vortex ring
The formation of vortex rings has aroused the enduring interest of the scientific community, starting from William Barton Rogers' observations to today's laboratory research. There are many complex fluid mechanics principles behind this phenomenon. For example, when a droplet falls onto a free liquid surface, a vortex ring is often formed directly due to surface tension.
In the laboratory, vortex rings can be effectively formed by a sudden release of fluid, such as using a sharp nozzle, which introduces a technique for controlling flow.
The existence of vortex rings in nature
Vortex rings are not only created in laboratories, but can also be found everywhere in nature. Fictional images such as smoke circles and marine life such as jellyfish and squid are examples of the use of vortex rings for propulsion. Additionally, some volcanic eruptions display large visible vortex rings, forming distinctive ring-shaped clouds.
Applications of swirl rings
The scientific principles of these phenomena explain the evolving applications of vortex rings in industry and technology. Taking advantage of the characteristics of vortex rings, effective technologies such as temporary jet flow and heat transfer have been widely studied, providing new ideas for fluid control.
The revelation of the vortex ring to life
The study of vortex rings is not limited to the field of physics; they also play an important role in biological flows. The heart forms vortex rings during its diastole to help blood flow efficiently, and a better understanding of this phenomenon could lead to improved understanding and treatment of heart function.
These swirling motions have also sparked research into other biological processes, including how seeds are dispersed through the air and how some animals use vortex rings to improve the efficiency of their swimming or flight.
Challenges and future prospects
Although significant progress has been made in our understanding of vortex rings, there are still many unsolved mysteries waiting to be explored by the scientific community. For example, how to best utilize these rings to reduce drag and improve efficiency remains a focus of future research.
ConclusionThe mystery and application potential of vortex rings in fluid dynamics provide us with a broad space for thinking. Their continued motion and energy retention not only satisfy the curiosity of science enthusiasts, but may also change our basic understanding of flow and propulsion. Faced with such an ancient yet modern scientific phenomenon, we can't help but ask: How can we better utilize this mysterious natural force to improve our lives and environment in the future?
