Experimental observation of the collision of three vortex rings

We investigate for the first time the motion, interaction and simultaneous collision between three initially stable vortex rings arranged symmetrically, making an angle of 120 degrees between their straight path lines. We report results with laminar vortex rings in air and water obtained through measurements of the ring velocity field with a hot-wire anemometer, both in free flight and during the entire collision. In the air experiment, our flow visualizations allowed us to identify two main collision stages. A first ring-dominated stage where the rings slowdown progressively, increasing their diameter rapidly, followed by secondary vortex structures resulting after the rings make contact. Local portions of the vortex tubes of opposite circulation are coupled together thus creating local arm-like vortex structures moving radially in outward directions, rapidly dissipating kinetic energy. From a similar water experiment, we provide detailed shadowgraph visualizations of both the ring bubble and the full size collision, showing clearly the final expanding vortex structure. It is accurately resolved that the physical contact between vortex ring tubes gives rise to three symmetric expanding vortex arms but also the vortex reconnection of the top and lower vortex tubes. The central collision zone was found to have the lowest kinetic energy during the entire collision and therefore it can be identified as a safe zone. The preserved collision symmetries leading to the weak kinematic activity in the safe zone is the first step into the development of an intermittent hydrodynamic trap for small and lightweight particles.