Chapter 5 (page 107) of the 2011 doctoral thesis Numerical Simulation of Tornado-like Vortices<http://vortexengine.ca/cfd/Diwakar_Natarajan_Full_thesis.pdf> by Diwakar Natarajan concludes that cross-winds do not affect the power generation capacity of the AVE, but it appears that this is only with respect to ambient temperature. He specifically calls for further research into the significance of temperature gradients with altitude. Is there any further work that discounts the possible cross-wind induced loss of vortex integrity at the altitudes required to achieve lower exhaust temperatures required for higher Carnot efficiency?
The AVE CFD page <http://vortexengine.ca/cfd.shtml> presents a disagreement with Natarajan's use of turbulent mode simulation. This disagreement is based on behavior of physical models showing laminar flow, one of which was water-spouts and the other being a laboratory scale model. The implication is that the adjoining photograph of a laboratory scale model<http://www.vortexengine.ca/Physical_Models_LM-3.shtml> demonstrates a vortex that is in disagreement with Natarajan's application of turbulent mode simulation at high Rayleigh numbers. Is anyone aware of further resolution of this point of disagreement?
