Stability of vortex flow in a modulated channel.

Linear stability analysis of a fully developed two-dimensional periodic steady flow in a spatially modulated symmetric channel is investigated numerically. Both walls are sinusoidally modulated. The modulation amplitude is assumed to be small. The base steady flow is calculated using a regular perturbation expansion of the flow field coupled to a variable-step finite-difference scheme. The disturbance flow equations are derived within the framework of Floquet theory and solved using a two-point boundary value method. The implemented procedure is simple, direct, and very efficient. The accuracy of this method is established. The influence of geometric parameters on the threshold for the onset of instability is systematically investigated. It is established that the critical Reynolds number for the onset of hydrodynamic instability decreases as the wall modulation amplitude or wave number increases. Modulated channel flow is characterized by the formation of a recirculation region or vortices beneath the modulation crest as the Reynolds number exceeds a certain critical threshold. The relation between the thresholds for the onset of instability and vortex flow is examined over a wide range of geometric parameters. Vortex flow effects on the conditions for the onset of instability are systematically investigated. The parameter regime of stable vortex flow is established. It is found that the parameter regime of stable vortex flow increases significantly with the wall modulation wave number for small wave numbers. This increase become less pronounced as the wave number is further increased.