Spontaneous Core Rotation in Ferrofluid Pipe Flow.

ABSTRACT

Ferrofluid flow along a tube of radius R in a constant axial magnetic field is revisited. Our analytical solution and numerical simulations predict a transition from an initially axial flow to a steady swirling one. The swirl dynamo arises above some critical pressure drop and magnetic field strength. The new flow pattern consists of two phases of different symmetry The flow in the core resembles Poiseuille flow in a rotating tube of the radius r_{*}element moves along a screw path, and the annular layer of the thickness R-r_{*}, where the flow remains purely axial. These phases are separated by a thin domain wall. The swirl appearance is accompanied with a sharp increase in the flow rate that might serve for the detection of the swirling instability.