Turbulent Poiseuille flow with near-critical wall transpiration

An incompressible, pressure-driven, fully developed turbulent flow between two parallel walls, with an extra constant transverse velocity component, is considered. A closure condition is formulated, which relates the shear stress with the first and the second derivatives of the longitudinal mean velocity. The closure condition is derived without invoking any special hypotheses on the nature of turbulent motion, only taking advantage of the fact that the flow depends on a finite number of governing parameters. By virtue of the closure condition, the momentum equation is reduced to the boundary-value problem for a second-order differential equation, which is solved by the method of matched asymptotic expansions at high values of the logarithm of the Reynolds number based on the friction velocity. The case of near-critical transpiration, when the shear stress at the injection wall vanishes, is considered. It is shown that the maximum point on the mean velocity profile lies in a thin sublayer near the suction wall in this case. A formula for the position of the maximum point as a function of the transpiration factor is obtained. The mean velocity profiles near the suction wall are calculated. A friction law for Poiseuille flow with near-critical transpiration is found, which makes it possible to describe the relation between the shear stress at the wall, the Reynolds number, and the transpiration velocity by a single function of one variable. Direct numerical simulation of the flow for some transpiration factors is performed. (© 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Turbulent boundary layer on a plate with transpiration: Dynamical and thermal problems

Scaling laws are established for the profiles of mean velocity and temperature, Reynolds-stress components, turbulent heat flux and mean-square temperature fluctuation, skin friction and wall heat transfer in the turbulent boundary layer on a flat plate with transpiration. In the case of blowing, the velocity and temperature distributions represented in scaling variables outside the viscous sublayer have universal forms known from experimental data for flow over an impermeable flat plate. The turbulent shearing stress and heat flux also can be represented in terms of these two functions. In the case of suction, the mean quantities are described by one-parameter families of curves. Universal skin-friction and heat-transfer laws provide a basis for representation of the skin-friction and heat-flux distributions corresponding to different Reynolds numbers and transpiration velocities in terms of universal functions of one variable. The results are obtained without invoking any special closure hypotheses. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Asymptotic behaviour of commutation errors and the divergence of the Reynolds stress tensor near the wall in the turbulent channel flow

The derivation of the space averaged Navier–Stokes equations for the large eddy simulation (LES) of turbulent incompressible flows introduces two groups of terms which do not depend only on the space averaged flow field variables: the divergence of the Reynolds stress tensor and commutation errors. Whereas the former is studied intensively in the literature, the latter terms are usually neglected. This note studies the asymptotic behaviour of these terms for the turbulent channel flow at a wall in the case that the commutation errors arise from the application of a non‐uniform box filter. To perform analytical calculations, the unknown flow field is modelled by a wall law (Reichardt law and 1/αth power law) for the mean velocity profile and highly oscillating functions model the turbulent fluctuations. The asymptotics show that near the wall, the commutation errors are at least as important as the divergence of the Reynolds stress tensor. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Turbulent boundary layer on a plate. Reynolds analogy and new formulations of the temperature defect law

A consistent asymptotic theory describing hydrodynamic and thermal turbulent boundary layers on a flat plate in zero pressure gradient is developed. The fact that the flow depends on a limited number of governing parameters allows us to formulate algebraic closure conditions that relate the turbulent shear stress and turbulent heat flux to mean velocity and temperature gradients. As a result of an exact asymptotic solution of the boundary-layer equations, the known laws of the wall for the velocity and temperature and the velocity and temperature defect laws as well as the expressions for the skin-friction coefficient, Stanton number, and Reynolds-analogy factor are obtained. The latter implies two new formulations for the temperature defect law one of which is completely similar to the velocity defect law and does not contain the Stanton number and the turbulent Prandtl number, and the other does not contain the skin-friction coefficient. A heat-transfer law is obtained that relates only thermal quantities. The theoretical conclusions agree well with experimental data. (© 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Prandtl's Mixing Length Model - Revisited

The paper is concerned with a modification of Prandtl's mixing length model of Reynolds stresses in fully developed turbulent channel flows. Here it is a well established fact that Prandtl's model falls short to describe the Reynolds stresses correctly very close to the wall. Furthermore, the resulting solution of the time averaged velocity fails to describe the channel flow correctly from the wall to its center. To overcome these shortcomings, the only characteristic mixing length in Prandtl's model is replaced by separate mixing lengths for velocity fluctuations parallel to the wall and normal to the wall, respectively. The modified model describes the mean velocity, all Reynolds stresses, and the functional dependence between Reynolds number based on the mean velocity and the one based on the friction velocity. For all Reynolds numbers these results - and corresponding results for the production terms of Reynolds stresses and the energy balance of the mean flow - agree quantitatively with experimental data and with data obtained by numerical simulations. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Investigation of physiological pulsatile flow in a model arterial stenosis using large-eddy and direct numerical simulations

Physiological pulsatile flow in a 3D model of arterial stenosis is investigated by using large eddy simulation (LES) technique. The computational domain chosen is a simple channel with a biological type stenosis formed eccentrically on the top wall. The physiological pulsation is generated at the inlet using the first harmonic of the Fourier series of pressure pulse. In LES, the large scale flows are resolved fully while the unresolved subgrid scale (SGS) motions are modelled using a localized dynamic model. Due to the narrowing of artery the pulsatile flow becomes transition-to-turbulent in the downstream region of the stenosis, where a high level of turbulent fluctuations is achieved, and some detailed information about the nature of these fluctuations are revealed through the investigation of the turbulent energy spectra. Transition-to-turbulent of the pulsatile flow in the post stenosis is examined through the various numerical results such as velocity, streamlines, velocity vectors, vortices, wall pressure and shear stresses, turbulent kinetic energy, and pressure gradient. A comparison of the LES results with the coarse DNS are given for the Reynolds number of 2000 in terms of the mean pressure, wall shear stress as well as the turbulent characteristics. The results show that the shear stress at the upper wall is low just prior to the centre of the stenosis, while it is maximum in the throat of the stenosis. But, at the immediate post stenotic region, the wall shear stress takes the oscillating form which is quite harmful to the blood cells and vessels. In addition, the pressure drops at the throat of the stenosis where the re-circulated flow region is created due to the adverse pressure gradient. The maximum turbulent kinetic energy is located at the post stenosis with the presence of the inertial sub-range region of slope −5/3.     

A mixing-length model for magnetohydrodynamic flows in channels and ducts with wall-parallel magnetic field

A spanwise magnetic field leads to turbulent drag reduction in channel flow of a conducting liquid due to the selective Joule damping of certain flow structures. This effect can be captured by a simple modification of Prandtl's classical mixing-length idea. The mixing length over which a turbulent fluctuation loses its momentum is not only constrained geometrically but also by magnetic damping. We therefore introduce a magnetic damping length that is proportional to friction velocity and the Joule damping time. The limitation of mixing length is implemented by using the harmonic mean between wall distance and this damping length. By combining this ansatz with the van-Driest model for turbulent stresses in channel flow we obtain a satisfactory prediction for the mean velocity distribution in magnetohydrodynamic channel flow with spanwise field for different Reynolds and Hartmann numbers. (© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Direct numerical simulation of turbulent non-Newtonian flow using a spectral element method

A spectral element—Fourier method (SEM) for Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of the turbulent flow of non-Newtonian fluids is described and the particular requirements for non-Newtonian rheology are discussed. The method is implemented in parallel using the MPI message passing kernel, and execution times scale somewhat less than linearly with the number of CPUs, however this is more than compensated by the improved simulation turn around times. The method is applied to the case of turbulent pipe flow, where simulation results for a shear-thinning (power law) fluid are compared to those of a yield stress (Herschel–Bulkley) fluid at the same generalised Reynolds number. It is seen that the yield stress significantly dampens turbulence intensities in the core of the flow where the quasi-laminar flow region there co-exists with a transitional wall zone. An additional simulation of the flow of blood in a channel is undertaken using a Carreau–Yasuda rheology model, and results compared to those of the one-equation Spalart-Allmaras RANS (Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes) model. Agreement between the mean flow velocity profile predictions is seen to be good. Use of a DNS technique to study turbulence in non-Newtonian fluids shows great promise in understanding transition and turbulence in shear thinning, non-Newtonian flows.     

Micromorphic theory of turbulence

Based on the theory of micromorphic fluid dynamics (MMF), a new theory of turbulence is introduced. The law of conservation of microinertia of MMF is replaced by a balance law of microinertia, with all other laws remaining unchanged, the theory is called, “extended micromorphic fluid dynamics”. The present theory of turbulence is founded on the extended theory. Thus, a new theory of turbulence, is founded on the first principles, not using any a priori closure assumptions or semi-empirical hypothesis. Field equations are solved for the two-dimensional steady channel flow. The mean velocity turbulent shear stress and all turbulent velocities are in remarkably good agreement with the experimentally observed turbulent velocities.     

Influence of Mass Loading on Particle-Laden Turbulent Pipe Flow

A CFD code in the framework of OpenFOAM was validated for simulations of particle-laden pipe and channel flows at low to intermediate mass loadings. The code is based on an Eulerian two-fluid approach with Reynolds-averaged conservation equations, including turbulence modeling and four-way coupling. Pipe flow simulations of particles in air against gravity were conducted at Reynolds numbers up to 50000. The particle mass loading was varied and its effect on the mean velocities and turbulent fluctuations of the two phases was studied. Special attention was paid to the influence of mass loading on the centerline velocity and the wall shear velocity of the fluid phase for various flow parameters and particle properties. Empirical correlations were established between these two quantities and the flow Reynolds number, particle Reynolds number, Stokes number and particle to fluid density ratio for a range of particle mass loadings. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Micromorphic theory of turbulence

Based on the theory of micromorphic fluid dynamics (MMF), a new theory of turbulence is introduced. The law of conservation of microinertia of MMF is replaced by a balance law of microinertia, with all other laws remaining unchanged, the theory is called, “extended micromorphic fluid dynamics”. The present theory of turbulence is founded on the extended theory. Thus, a new theory of turbulence, is founded on the first principles, not using any a priori closure assumptions or semi-empirical hypothesis. Field equations are solved for the two-dimensional steady channel flow. The mean velocity turbulent shear stress and all turbulent velocities are in remarkably good agreement with the experimentally observed turbulent velocities.     

Self-similar turbulent boundary layer in pressure gradient

Self-similar flows in a turbulent boundary layer when the free-stream velocity is specified as a power function of longitudinal coordinate are investigated. The self-similar formulation not only simplifies solving of the problem by reducing the equations of motion to ordinary differential equations but also provides a mean for formulating closure conditions. It is shown that for the class of flows under consideration that depend on three governing parameters the dimensionless mixing length is a function of the normalised distance from the wall and the exponent in the law specifying the free-stream velocity distribution in the outer region and a universal function of local Reynolds number in the wall region, the latter corollary being true even when the skin friction vanishes. In calculations this function is set to be independent of pressure gradient, which gives the results very close to experimental data. There exist four different self-similar flow regimes. Each regime is related to its similarity parameter, one of which is the well-known Clauser equilibrium parameter and the other three are established for the first time. In case of adverse pressure gradient when the exponent lies within certain limits, which depend on Reynolds number, the problem has two solutions with different values of the boundary layer thickness and skin friction, which points out the possibility of hysteresis in near-separating flow. Separation occurs not at the minimum value of the exponent that corresponds to the strongest adverse pressure gradient but at a higher one whose dependence on Reynolds number is calculated in the paper. The results of the theory are in good agreement with experimental data. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Interaction between inner and outer layer in drag-reduced turbulent flows

Effects of wall-based skin-friction drag reduction strategies on the statistical properties of large-scale motions in moderate Reynolds number turbulent flows have been investigated by exploiting Direct Numerical Simulation of turbulent channels. To educe large scales, a new efficient parallel distributed memory algorithm has been implemented which delivers data-driven modes of increasing characteristic lengthscales: the Fast and Adaptive Bidimensional Empirical Mode Decomposition (FABEMD). The influence of wall-based skin friction reduction on large scales is studied by comparing single point statistics, such as r.m.s. fluctuations, and two-point statistics, as cross-correlation functions in controlled and uncontrolled channel flow fields at constant friction Reynolds number. The traditional way of observing large-scale footprinting at the wall, as cross-correlation of the streamwise velocity components at different wall distances, has been found to be unreliable when comparing drag-reduced flows, due to the arbitrary choice of a reference plane in the logarithmic layer. A more sound way of observing the footprinting via the correlation of the streamwise velocity with the friction velocity is addressed and shows an increase of the footprinting in drag-reduced flows. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Low-Reynolds-number modelling of flows over a backward-facing step

The complex turbulent flow behind a backward-facing step is modelled using a full Reynolds stress closure. In order to develop a closure model that can resolve the complex near-wall flow in the recirculation region and in the recovery region downstream of the reattachment point, the performance of a low and a high Reynolds number version of the full Reynolds stress closure is examined and compared. Furthermore, the effects of redistribution modelling on the calculated flow is studied by comparing the performance of three redistribution models: one return-to-isotropy model and two with mean-strain effects. The results are grid independent and show that the flow downstream of the step is best described by a low-Reynolds-number model that does not depend on the conventional wall function assumption. However, the skin friction behavior is correctly predicted by the stipulation of a wall function. Of the three redistribution models examined, the return-to-isotropy model gives results that are in excellent agreement with measurements. Finally, the calculated results are adversely affected by refining the redistribution models to include meanstrain effects.     

壁面加热湍流耗散率标度指数测量的实验研究

对中等雷诺数下壁面常温和壁面加热的平板湍流边界层中速度和温度粗粒化的耗散率结构函数标度指数进行了实验测量.用热线风速仪测量了风洞中壁面常温和加热的平板湍流边界层中不同法向位置的流向速度分量和温度的时间序列信号,研究了由于湍流边界层近壁区域相干结构的存在而导致的非各向同性、非均匀性对湍流耗散率结构函数标度指数的影响,研究发现,中等雷诺数下壁面加热的边界条件和剪切湍流的平均速度梯度对速度和温度耗散率结构函数的标度指数没有影响,均匀各向同性湍流的耗散率结构函数标度指数的层次结构模型对壁面加热平板湍流边界层的速度和温度耗散率结构函数的标度指数也是适用的.     

Non-Newtonian characteristics of peristaltic flow of blood in micro-vessels

Of concern in the paper is a generalized theoretical study of the non-Newtonian characteristics of peristaltic flow of blood through micro-vessels, e.g. arterioles. The vessel is considered to be of variable cross-section and blood to be a Herschel–Bulkley type of fluid. The progressive wave front of the peristaltic flow is supposed sinusoidal/straight section dominated (SSD) (expansion/contraction type); Reynolds number is considered to be small with reference to blood flow in the micro-circulatory system. The equations that govern the non-Newtonian peristaltic flow of blood are considered to be non-linear. The objective of the study has been to examine the effect of amplitude ratio, mean pressure gradient, yield stress and the power law index on the velocity distribution, wall shear stress, streamline pattern and trapping. It is observed that the numerical estimates for the aforesaid quantities in the case of peristaltic transport of blood in a channel are much different from those for flow in an axisymmetric vessel of circular cross-section. The study further shows that peristaltic pumping, flow velocity and wall shear stress are significantly altered due to the non-uniformity of the cross-sectional radius of blood vessels of the micro-circulatory system. Moreover, the magnitude of the amplitude ratio and the value of the fluid index are important parameters that affect the flow behaviour. Novel features of SSD wave propagation that affect the flow behaviour of blood have also been discussed.     

Scaling laws for turbulent boundary layer flows in favorable and adverse pressure gradient

An analytical theory is proposed to describe incompressible plane and axisymmetric turbulent boundary layer flows in favorable and adverse pressure gradients for near-equilibrium conditions. Scaling laws for the mean velocity, the Reynolds stress components, and the skin friction have been established. A universal friction law makes it possible to represent the skin friction distributions corresponding to different Reynolds numbers and pressure gradients in terms of a function of one variable. The theory is based on general physical assumptions and does not involve any special hypotheses on the nature of the turbulent motion. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Numerical computation of pulsatile flow through a locally constricted channel

This paper deals with the numerical solution of a pulsatile laminar flow through a locally constricted channel. A finite difference technique has been employed to solve the governing equations. The effects of the flow parameters such as Reynolds number, flow pulsation in terms of Strouhal number, constriction height and length on the flow behaviour have been studied. It is found that the peak value of the wall shear stress has significantly changed with the variation of Reynolds numbers and constriction heights. It is also noted that the Strouhal number and constriction length have little effect on the peak value of the wall shear stress. The flow computation reveals that the peak value of the wall shear stress at maximum flow rate time in pulsatile flow situation is much larger than that due to steady flow. The constriction and the flow pulsation produce flow disturbances at the vicinity of the constriction of the channel in the downstream direction.     

Effect of constriction height on flow separation in a two-dimensional channel

We studied numerically the effect of the constriction height on viscous flow separation past a two-dimensional channel with locally symmetric constrictions. A numerically stable scheme in primitive variables (velocity and pressure) for the solution of two-dimensional incompressible time-dependent Navier–Stokes equations is employed using finite-difference approximation in staggered grid. The wall shear stresses at different heights of the constriction are computed and presented graphically. It is noticed that the maximum stress and the length of the recirculating region associated with two shear layers of the constriction increase with the increase of the area reduction of the constriction. The critical Reynolds number for symmetry breaking bifurcation for the 50%, 60% and 70% area reduction are obtained numerically. The flow field separates after the symmetry breaking bifurcation and the symmetry of the flow depends on the Reynolds number and the height of the constriction.     

A study of effects of wall-normal rotation on the turbulent channel flow

The effects of the wall–normal rotation on the turbulence channel flow have been studied. A series of direct numerical simulations have been performed with various rotation rates for Reynolds number 180 based on the friction velocity in the non–rotating case. All remarkable changes are discussed. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)