arXiv subjects

Christophe Brouzet

Publications and source records attributed to Christophe Brouzet.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Long rigid fibres in a turbulent channel flow: comparison between experiments and simulations

The dynamics of long rigid fibres transported by turbulent channel flow are investigated experimentally and numerically. Experiments use polystyrene fibres of three lengths, $\ell/h=0.25$, $0.5$ and $1$, with moderate inertia, $St^+\approx20$. Their settling velocity is comparable to the friction velocity, causing accumulation near the bottom wall. Measurements are compared systematically with simulations based on a rigid slender-body model. Statistics conditioned on the distance from the wall are used to characterise the effects of fibre length and confinement on translation, orientation and tumbling. Away from the wall, the experimental fibres lag the fluid, with no clear dependence of the velocity deficit on length. Near the wall, the shortest fibres move faster than the local mean flow, whereas longer fibres remain slower, indicating length-dependent sampling of near-wall turbulence. Confinement also strongly constrains orientation and rotation. Fibres close to the wall predominantly undergo "kayaking" motion, tumbling in planes approximately parallel to it. Orientation statistics collapse when wall distance is normalised by fibre length, identifying $y^+/\ell^+$ as the relevant geometrical variable. Where fibres can acquire a significant wall-normal orientation, "pole-vaulting" events produce a local tumbling-rate maximum at $y^+\approx\ell^+/2$. Its magnitude decreases approximately as $(\ell^+)^{-2}$, consistently with a dimensional estimate based on the near-wall velocity variation sampled along the fibre. Experiments and simulations agree well for orientation and tumbling but differ more for translational velocity. The discrepancies highlight the effect of settling, finite fibre thickness and finite slip Reynolds number that are not fully represented by the model.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2026

Quantifying the liquid flow between a soap film and a vertical meniscus

Fluid exchange between a soap film and its bounding menisci governs film drainage and stability, with direct implications for the lifetime of surface bubbles and liquid foams. Despite recent advances, a quantitative characterization of this coupling, associated with the phenomenon of marginal regeneration, remains incomplete. The volumetric flux per unit length of contact follows a well-established scaling law involving geometrical parameters such as the film height and the meniscus radius of curvature. However, the dimensionless prefactor of this relation - the flux coefficient - remains difficult to determine for vertical menisci because of the complex and intermittent flows occurring at the film-meniscus interface. Here, we quantify this flux into the meniscus generated by inserting a solid plate into a vertical soap film. We consider both vertical and inclined plates and further investigate the effects of plate inclination, height, and width. Focusing on the dynamics of the growth of the meniscus driven by liquid supplied by the film, we analyze both steady and transient regimes resulting from the interplay between capillary pressure, gravity, and liquid exchange. Combining experiments, numerical simulations, and theoretical modelling, we determine the flux coefficient using three independent methods and show that it remains constant over the range of parameters explored.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2026

Soap Film Drainage Using a Centrifugal Thin Film Balance

Surface bubbles are an abundant source of aerosols, with important implications for climate processes. In this context, we investigate the stability and thinning dynamics of soap films under effective gravity fields. Experiments are performed using a centrifugal thin-film balance capable of generating accelerations from 0.2 up to 100 times standard gravity, combined with thin-film interferometry to obtain time-resolved thickness maps. Across all experimental conditions, the drainage dynamics are shown to be governed by capillary suction and marginal regeneration-a mechanism in which thick regions of the film are continuously replaced by thin film elements (TFEs) formed at the meniscus. We consistently recover a thickness ratio of 0.8-0.9 between the TFEs and the adjacent film, in agreement with previous observations under standard gravity. The measured thinning rates also follow the predicted scaling laws. We identified that effective gravity has three distinct effects: (i) it induces a strong stretching of the initial film, extending well beyond the linear-elastic regime; (ii) it controls the meniscus size, and thereby the amplitude of the capillary suction and the drainage rate; and (iii) it reveals an inertia-to-viscous transition in the motion of TFEs within the film. These results are supported by theoretical modeling and highlight the robustness of marginal regeneration and capillary-driven drainage under extreme gravity conditions.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2025

Flowing menisci: coupled dynamics and liquid exchange with soap films

Liquid foams exhibit menisci whose lengths range from hundreds of microns in microfoams to several centimeters in macroscopic bubble arrangements. These menisci thin under gravity until reaching a steady thickness profile, where hydrostatic and capillary pressures are balanced. While these menisci are in contact with soap films, dynamical liquid exchanges between them are neglected in current drainage models, which assume thin films provide a negligible liquid reservoir. Using controlled experiments, we systematically measure the shape of an isolated meniscus placed in a vertical soap film. By increasing the film thickness, we identify a flowing regime in which the flux from the adjacent film significantly enlarges the meniscus. We present an analytical model that extends the drainage equation to incorporate this film flux and introduce a gravito-exchange length, which sets the minimum meniscus thickness. The model is in quantitative agreement with experiments, capturing the transition between hydrostatic and flowing menisci. This study has implications for flowing or rearranging foams, where thick films are commonly observed.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2025

Undulatory underwater swimming: Linking vortex dynamics, thrust, and wake structure with a biorobotic fish

Flapping-based propulsive systems rely on fluid-structure interactions to produce thrust. At intermediate and high Reynolds numbers, vortex formation and organization in the wake of such systems are crucial for the generation of a propulsive force. In this work, we experimentally investigate the wake produced by a tethered robotic fish immersed in a water tunnel. By systematically varying the amplitude and frequency of the fish tail as well as the free-stream speed, we are able to observe and characterize different vortex streets as a function of the Strouhal number. The produced wakes are three-dimensional and exhibit a classical V-shape, mainly with two oblique trains of vortex rings convecting outward. Using two-dimensional Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) in the mid-span plane behind the fish and through extensive data processing of the velocity and vorticity fields, we demonstrate the strong couplings at place between vortex dynamics, thrust production and wake structure. We first measure the evolution of the vortex velocity with the Strouhal number, and model it using a momentum balance equation directly related to thrust production. We then focus on the wake structure, such as wake angle as well as vortex ring orientation, diameter and vorticity. The wake structure is modelled in a simple geometrical framework where the vortex ring velocity is composed of the free-stream speed and the ring self-advecting speed. This framework is tested and validated by our experimental measurements as well as literature data collapsing on master curves, highlighting a universal behavior dominated by the Strouhal number. This allows us to establish a comprehensive understanding of how the wake structure varies with this number and, thus, thrust production.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2024

Self-similar and Universal Dynamics in Drainage of Mobile Soap Films

Vertical soap films drain under the influence of gravity, as indicated by the downward motion of colorful horizontal interference fringes observed on their surfaces. In this study conducted with rectangular soap films, we experimentally characterize the descent dynamics of these isothickness fringes and report its self-similar nature. We also show that this result is equivalent to thickness profiles exhibiting a separation of space and time. By integrating new measurements with data from the literature across various conditions, we validate these properties and establish the universality of the dynamics, governed by a single physical scalar. Our findings provide new insights for proposing a drainage model and understanding the mechanism of marginal regeneration at the origin of the process.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2023

Enhanced transport of flexible fibers by pole vaulting in turbulent wall-bounded flow

Long, flexible fibers transported by a turbulent channel flow sample non-linear variations of the fluid velocity along their length. As the fibers tumble and collide with the boundaries, they bounce off with an impulse that propels them toward the center of the flow, similar to pole vaulting. As a result, the fibers migrate away from the walls, leading to depleted regions near the boundaries and more concentrated regions in the bulk. These higher concentrations in the center of the channel result in a greater net flux of fibers than what was initially imposed by the fluid. This effect becomes more pronounced as fiber length increases, especially when it approaches the channel height.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2021

CO$_2$ convective dissolution in a 3-D granular porous medium: an experimental study

Geological storage of CO$_2$ in deep saline aquifers is a promising measure to mitigate global warming by reducing the concentration of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. When CO$_2$ is injected in the geological formation, it dissolves partially in the interstitial brine, thus rendering it denser than the CO$_2$-devoid brine below, which creates a convective instability. The resulting convection accelerates the rate of CO$_2$ perennial trapping by dissolution in the brine. The instability and resulting convection have been intensively discussed by numerical and theoretical approaches at the Darcy scale, but few experimental studies have characterized them quantitatively. By using both refractive index matching and planar laser induced fluorescence, we measure for the first time the onset characteristics of the convective dissolution instability in a 3-D porous medium located below a gas compartment. Our results highlight that the dimensional growth rate of the instability remains constant when the CO$_2$ partial pressure in the compartment is varied, in clear discrepancy with the theoretical predictions. Furthermore, within the CO$_2$ partial pressure range studied, the measured growth rate is 1 to 3 orders of magnitude larger than the predicted value. The Fourier spectrum of the front is very broad, highlighting the multi-scale nature of the flow. Depending on the measurement method and CO$_2$ partial pressure, the mean wavelength is 1 to 3 times smaller than the predicted value. Using a theoretical model developed recently by Tilton (J.~Fluid Mech., 2018), we demonstrate that our experimental results are consistent with a forcing of convection by porosity fluctuations. Finally, we discuss the possible effects of this forcing by the porous medium's pore structure on the CO$_2$ flux across the interface, measured in our experiments about one order of magnitude higher than expected.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2019

Effective interfacial tension in flow-focusing of colloidal dispersions: 3D numerical simulations and experiments

An interface between two miscible fluids is transient, existing as a non-equilibrium state before complete molecular mixing is reached. However, during the existence of such an interface, which typically be at short timescales, composition gradients at the boundary between the two liquids cause stresses effectively mimicking an interfacial tension. Here, we combine numerical modelling and experiments to study the influence of an effective interfacial tension between a colloidal fibre dispersion and its own solvent on the flow in a microfluidic system. In a flow-focusing channel, the dispersion is injected as core flow that is hydrodynamically focused by its solvent as sheath flows. This leads to the formation of a long fluid thread, which is characterised in 3D using Optical Coherence Tomography and simulated using a volume of fluid method. The simulated flow and thread geometries very closely reproduce the experimental results in terms of thread topology and velocity flow fields. By varying the effective interfacial tension numerically, we show that it clearly influences threading dynamics and that it can be described by an effective capillary number. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the applied methodology provide means to measure the ultra-low but dynamically highly significant effective interfacial tension.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2018

Characterizing the Orientational and Network Dynamics of Polydisperse Nanofibres at the Nanoscale

Polydisperse fibre networks are the basis of many natural and man-made architectures, ranging from high-performance bio-based materials to components of living cells and tissues. The formation and persistence of such networks are given by fibre properties such as length and stiffness as well as the number density and fibre-fibre interactions. Studies of fibre network behavior, such as connectivity or rigidity thresholds, typically assume fixed fibre length and isotropic fibre orientation distributions, specifically for nanoscale fibres where the methods providing time-resolved measurements are limited. Using birefringence measurements in a microfluidic flow-focusing channel combined with a flow-stop procedure, we here propose a methodology allowing investigations of length dependent rotational dynamics of nanoscale polydisperse fibre suspensions, including effects of non-isotropic orientation distributions. Transition from rotational mobility to rigidity at entanglement thresholds is specifically addressed for a number of nanocellulose suspensions, which are used as model nanofibre systems. The results show that the proposed method allows characterization of the subtle interplay between Brownian diffusion and nanoparticle alignment on network dynamics.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2018

Orientation and dynamics of stiff polymeric nanoparticles

Successful assembly of suspended nanoscale rod-like particles depends on fundamental phenomena controlling rotational and translational diffusion. Despite the significant developments in fluidic fabrication of nanostructured materials, the ability to quantify the dynamics in processing systems remains challenging. Here we demonstrate an experimental method for characterization of the orientation dynamics of nanorod suspensions in assembly flows using birefringence relaxation. The methodology is illustrated using nanocelluloses (cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibrils) as model systems, where the coupling of rotational diffusion coefficients to particle size distributions as well as flow-induced orientation mechanisms are elucidated. Our observations advance the knowledge on key fundamental nanoscale mechanisms governing the dynamics of nanotubes and nanorods allowing bottom-up assembly into hierarchical superstructures.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2017

Evaluating alignment of elongated nanoparticles in cylindrical geometries through small angle X-ray scattering experiments

The increased availability and brilliance of new X-ray facilities have in the recent years opened up the possibility to characterize the motion of dispersed nanoparticles in various microfluidic applications. One of these applications is the process of making strong continuous filaments through hydrodynamic alignment and assembly of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) demonstrated by Håkansson et al. [Nature communications 5, 2014]. In this process it is vital to study the alignment of the nanofibrils in the flow, as this in turn affects the final material properties of the dried filament. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is a well-suited characterization technique for this, which typically provides the alignment in a projected plane perpendicular to the beam direction. In this work, we demonstrate a simple method to reconstruct the full three-dimensional (3D) orientation distribution function (ODF) from a SAXS-experiment through the assumption that the azimuthal angle of the nanofibril around the flow direction is distributed uniformly; an assumption that is approximately valid in the flow-focusing process. For demonstrational purposes, the experimental results from Håkansson et al. (2014) have been revised, resulting in a small correction to the presented order parameters. The results are then directly compared with simple numerical models to describe the increased alignment of CNF both in the flowing system and during the drying process. The proposed reconstruction method will allow for further improvements of theoretical or numerical simulations and consequently open up new possibilities for optimizing assembly processes, which include flow-alignment of elongated nanoparticles.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2017

Internal wave attractors: different scenarios of instability

This paper presents an experimental study of different instability scenarios in a parallelogram-shaped internal wave attractor in a trapezoidal domain filled with a uniformly stratified fluid. Energy is injected into the system via the oscillatory motion of a vertical wall of the trapezoidal domain. Whole-field velocity measurements are performed with the conventional PIV technique. In the linear regime, the total kinetic energyof the fluid system is used to quantify the strength of attractors as a function of coordinates in the parameter spacedefining their zone of existence, the so-called Arnold tongue. In the nonlinear regime, the choice of the operational point in the Arnold tongue is shown to have a significant impact on the scenario of the onset of triadic instability, most notably on the influence of confinement on secondary waves. The onset of triadic resonance instability may occur as a spatially localized event similar to Scolan, Ermanyuk and Dauxois (2013) in the case of strong focusing or in form of growing normal modes as in McEwan (1971) for the limiting case of rectangular domain. In the present paper, we describe also a new intermediate scenario for the case of weak focusing. We explore the long-term behaviour of cascades of triadic instabilities in wave attractors and show a persistent trend toward formation of standing-wave patterns corresponding to some discrete peaks of the frequency spectrum. At sufficiently high level of energy injection the system exhibits a "mixing box" regime which has certain qualitatively universal properties regardless to the choiceof the operating point in the Arnold tongue. In particular, for this regime, we observe a statisticsof events with high horizontal vorticity, which serve as kinematic indicators of mixing.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2016

Internal wave attractors examined using laboratory experiments and 3D numerical simulations

In the present paper, we combine numerical and experimental approaches to study the dynamics of stable and unstable internal wave attractors. The problem is considered in a classic trapezoidal setup filled with a uniformly stratified fluid. Energy is injected into the system at global scale by the small-amplitude motion of a vertical wall. Wave motion in the test tank is measured with the help of conventional synthetic schlieren and PIV techniques. The numerical setup closely reproduces the experimental one in terms of geometry and the operational range of the Reynolds and Schmidt numbers. The spectral element method is used as a numerical tool to simulate the nonlinear dynamics of a viscous salt-stratified fluid. We show that the results of three-dimensional calculations are in excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement with the experimental data, including the spatial and temporal parameters of the secondary waves produced by triadic resonance instability. Further, we explore experimentally and numerically the effect of lateral walls on secondary currents and spanwise distribution of velocity amplitudes in the wave beams. Finally, we test the assumption of a bidimensional flow and estimate the error made in synthetic schlieren measurements due to this assumption.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2016

Energy cascade in internal wave attractors

One of the pivotal questions in the dynamics of the oceans is related to the cascade of mechanical energy in the abyss and its contribution to mixing. Here, we propose internal wave attractors in the large amplitude regime as a unique self-consistent experimental and numerical setup that models a cascade of triadic interactions transferring energy from large-scale monochro-matic input to multi-scale internal wave motion. We also provide signatures of a discrete wave turbulence framework for internal waves. Finally, we show how beyond this regime, we have a clear transition to a regime of small-scale high-vorticity events which induce mixing. Introduction.

physics.flu-dyn↗