Fluid Mixing Theory based on Potential Mixing Pattern

Abstract

In unsteady flows, the motion of the mixing pattern is apparently different from the motion of the fluid itself. If the fluid velocity field is the same, every initial mixing flow pattern finally tends to approach the same shape. From these facts, fluid flow fields are considered to have intrinsic mixing patterns, that is, potential mixing patterns. In this paper, a new velocity vector is defined that is able to express the motion of the mixing pattern. With this velocity vector, a method for visualizing potential mixing patterns is proposes, and several properties of these mixing patterns are shown clearly. Based on these results, a new conception of fluid mixing phenomena is proposed from a different point of view from the conventional ones.