Performance of turbulence models for flows through rough pipes

The Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations were solved along with turbulence models, namely k–ε, k–ω, Reynolds stress models (RSM), and filtered Navier–Stokes equations along with Large Eddy Simulation (LES) to study the fully-developed turbulent flows in circular pipes roughened by repeated square ribs with various spacings. Solutions of these flows were obtained using the commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software Fluent. The numerical results were validated against experimental measurements and other numerical data published in literature. The performance of the turbulence models was compared and discussed. All the RANS models and LES model were observed to perform equally well in predicting the time-averaged flow statistics. However no instantaneous information can be obtained from the RANS results. Therefore, when a rough overview of the flow process in a pipe roughened by repeated ribs is needed, any one of the RANS models can be of value. On the other hand, the instantaneous as well as time-averaged flows could be studied with more insight using LES, albeit at a cost of CPU effort at least one order higher.     

Computational fluid dynamics modelling of gas jets impinging onto liquid pools

Gas jets impinging onto a gas–liquid interface of a liquid pool are studied using computational fluid dynamics modelling, which aims to obtain a better understanding of the behaviour of the gas jets used metallurgical engineering industry. The gas and liquid flows are modelled using the volume of fluid technique. The governing equations are formulated using the density and viscosity of the “gas–liquid mixture”, which are described in terms of the phase volume fraction. Reynolds averaging is applied to yield a set of Reynolds-averaged conservation equations for the mass and momentum, and the k–ε turbulence model. The deformation of the gas–liquid interface is modelled by the pressure jump across the interface via the Young–Laplace equation. The governing equations in the axisymmetric cylindrical coordinates are solved using the commercial CFD code, FLUENT. The computed results are compared with experimental and theoretical data reported in the literature. The CFD modelling allows the simultaneous evaluation of the gas flow field, the free liquid surface and the bulk liquid flow, and provides useful insight to the highly complex, and industrially significant flows in the jetting system.     

Assessment of an Eulerian CFD model for prediction of dilute droplet dispersion in a turbulent jet

The turbulent dispersion of non-evaporating droplets in an axisymmetric round jet issuing from a nozzle is investigated both experimentally and theoretically. The experimental data set has a well-defined inlet boundary with low turbulence intensity at the nozzle exit, so that droplet dispersion is not affected by the transport of nozzle-generated fluctuating motion into the jet, and is influenced solely by turbulence in the gas phase produced in the shear layer of the jet. This data set is thus ideal for testing algebraic models of droplet fluctuating motion that assume local equilibrium with the turbulence in the gas phase. Moreover, the droplet flux measurements are sufficiently accurate that conservation of the total volume flow of the droplet phase has been demonstrated. A two-fluid turbulence modelling approach is adopted, which uses the k–ε turbulence model and a simple algebraic model that assumes local equilibrium to predict the fluid and droplet turbulent correlations, respectively. We have shown that the k–ε turbulence model lacks generality for predicting the spread of momentum in jets with and without a potential core. However, in general, the model predicts the radial dispersion of droplets in the considered turbulent jet with reasonable accuracy over a broad range of droplet sizes, once deficiencies in the k–ε turbulence model are taken into account.     

Assessment of turbulence modeling for gas flow in two-dimensional convergent–divergent rocket nozzle

In the present study, the turbulent gas flow dynamics in a two-dimensional convergent–divergent rocket nozzle is numerically predicted and the associated physical phenomena are investigated for various operating conditions. The nozzle is assumed to have impermeable and adiabatic walls with a flow straightener in the upstream side and is connected to a plenum surrounding the nozzle geometry and extended in the downstream direction. In this integrated component model, the inlet flow is assumed a two-dimensional, steady, compressible, turbulent and subsonic. The physics based mathematical model of the considered flow consists of conservation of mass, momentum and energy equations subject to appropriate boundary conditions as defined by the physical problem stated above. The system of the governing equations with turbulent effects is solved numerically using different turbulence models to demonstrate their numerical accuracy in predicting the characteristics of turbulent gas flow in such complex geometry. The performance of the different turbulence models adopted has been assessed by comparing the obtained results of the static wall pressure and the shock position with the available experimental and numerical data. The dimensionless shear stress at the nozzle wall and the separation point are also computed and the flow field is illustrated. The various implemented turbulence models have shown different behavior of the turbulent characteristics. However, the shear-stress transport (SST) k–ω model exhibits the best overall agreement with the experimental measurements. In general, the proposed numerical procedure applied in the present paper shows good capability in predicting the physical phenomena and the flow characteristics encountered in such kinds of complex turbulent flow.     

宾汉流体稠密两相湍流流动中的二阶矩模型

建立的Bingharn流体稠密两相流动的二阶矩一颗粒动力论湍流模型（USM—theta模型）既体现了两相的作用，又体现了屈服应力所引起的附加项，并提出了USM—theta模型下考虑浓度修正值影响的两相湍流流动的算法．利用该模型对圆管内Bingham流体的单相湍流流动、稠密液固两相的湍流流动进行了计算，并和五方程湍流模型进行了比较，结果表明该模型的预测效果更好．利用USM—theta模型对含颗粒的Binghanl流体的两相湍流流动进行了模拟，随着屈服应力的增加，Bing—ham流体相与颗粒相在管道中心附近的主流速度减小．液固两相湍流和Bingham流体两相湍流的计算结果表明屈服应力引起的附加项对流动有很重要的影响．     

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.     

CFD of turbulent transport of particles behind a backward-facing step using a new model—k-ε-Sp

The k-ε-S_p model, describing two-dimensional gas–solid two-phase turbulent flow, has been developed. In this model, the diffusion flux and slip velocity of solid particles are introduced to represent the particle motion in two-phase flow. Based on this model, the gas–solid two-phase turbulent flow behind a vertical backward-facing step is simulated numerically and the turbulent transport velocities of solid particles with high density behind the step are predicted. The numerical simulation is validated by comparing the results of the numerical calculation with two other two-phase turbulent flow models (k-ε-A_p, k-ε-k_p) by Laslandes and the experimental measurements. This model, not only has the same virtues of predicting the longitudinal transport of the solid particles as the present practical two-phase flow models, but also can predict the lateral transport of the solid particles correctly.     

Numerical calculation of turbulent corner flows

Numerical predictions are presented of the hydrodynamic characteristics of developing and fully-developed turbulent flow in a square duct. The turbulent stresses in the plane of the cross-section, gradients of which cause the familiar secondary flows, are approximated by gradients in the axial mean velocity. Two distinct approximations are investigated, one of which specifies some of the model ‘constants’ as functions of the gradient of the length scale to account for wall effects. The stresses in the axial momentum equation are calculated from an eddy viscosity deduced from the K-W model of turbulence, K being the turbulence energy and W, a measure of the time-mean-square-vorticity fluctuations. The approximation incorporating wall effects generally performs better than the other when compared with fully-developed flow-data. This same approximation also compares favourably with data for developing flow and predictions based on K-? models in the literature.     

Turbulent flow around single concentric long capsule in a pipe

A numerical solution was developed for the equations governing the turbulent flow around single concentric long capsule in a pipe. First, a turbulence model was established for the concentric annulus between the capsule and the pipe to simulate the flow as axi-symmetric, two dimensional, steady flow without edge effect. Second, the same case was considered taking into account the edge effect. Finally, turbulence modelling was established to simulate the case as a three dimensional steady flow, with a view of investigating the validity of axi-symmetric flow assumption. Three different turbulence models were used: an algebraic model (Baldwin–Lomax model) and two types of two-equation models (k–ε and k–ω). Obtained results of pressure gradient along the capsule were compared with available experimental data to verify the used models. In addition, experimental data of the velocity profiles of other investigators were also used in this concern. The results predicted by the three different turbulence models were shown to agree well with the experimental data, though precision differed from one to another.     

Implementation of near-wall boundary conditions for modeling boundary layers with free-stream turbulence

The paper is devoted to the extension of the near-wall domain decomposition, earlier developed in some previous works by the authors, to modeling flat-plate boundary layers undergoing laminar-to-turbulent bypass transition. The steady-state wall boundary layers at high-intensity free-stream turbulence are studied on the basis of differential turbulence models with the use of non-overlapping domain decomposition. In the approach the near-wall resolution is replaced by the interface boundary conditions of Robin type. In contrast to the previous studies, the main attention is paid to the laminar–turbulent transitional regime. With the use of modified turbulence models we study an effect of free-stream parameters on the development of dynamic processes in the boundary layer including a transitional regime and fully developed turbulent flow. In addition, for the first time a full scale domain decomposition is realized via iterations between the inner and outer subregions until a convergence. The computational profiles of the velocity and intensity of the turbulence kinetic energy are compared with experimental data. A possible range of location of the near-wall interface boundary is found.