Coherent Structures in Transition of a Flat-Plate Boundary Layer at Ma = 0.7

Direct numerical simulation （DNS） of a spatially evolving fiat-plate boundary layer transition process at free stream Mach number 0. 7 is performed. Tollmien-Schlichting （T-S） waves are added on the inlet boundary as the disturbances before transition. Typical coherent structures in the transition process are investigated based on the second invariant of velocity gradient tensor. The instantaneous shear stress and the mean velocity profile in the transition region are studied. In our view, the fact that the peak value of shear stress in the stress concentration area increases and exceeds a threshold value during the later stage of the trallsition process plays an important role in the laminar breakdown process.     

Lattice Boltzmann model for three-dimensional decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence

We implement a lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) for decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence based on an analogous Galerkin filter and focus on the fundamental statistical isotropic property. This regularized method is constructed based on orthogonal Hermite polynomial space. For decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence, this regularized method can simulate the isotropic property very well. Numerical studies demonstrate that the novel regularized LBM is a promising approximation of turbulent fluid flows, which paves the way for coupling various turbulent models with LBM.     

Collisionless magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in two dimensions

In this paper we give a formulation of two-dimensional (2D) collisionless magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence that includes the effects of both electron inertia and electron pressure (or parallel electron compressibility) and is applicable to strongly magnetized collisionless plasmas. We place particular emphasis on the departures from the 2D classical MHD turbulence results produced by the collisionless MHD effects. We investigate the fractal/multi-fractal aspects of spatial intermittency. The fractal model for intermittent collisionless MHD turbulence appears to be able to describe the observed k⁻¹ spectrum in the solar wind. Multi-fractal scaling behaviors in the inertial range are first deduced, and are then extrapolated down to the dissipative microscales. We then consider a parabolic-profile model for the singularity spectrum f (α), as an explicit example of a multi-fractal scenario. These considerations provide considerable insights into the basic mechanisms underlying spatial intermittency in 2D fully developed collisionless MHD turbulence.     

Turbulent Boundary Layer Control via a Streamwise Travelling Wave Induced by an External Force

Turbulent boundary layer control via a streamwise travelling wave is investigated based on direct numerical simulation of an incompressible turbulent channel flow. The streamwise travelling wave is induced on one side wall of the channel by a spanwise external force, e.g., Lorenz force, which is con~ned in the viscous sublayer. As the control strategy used in this study has never been examined, we pay our attention to its efficiency of drag control. It is revealed that the propagating direction of the travelling wave, i.e., the downstream or upstream propagating direction with respect to the streamwise flow, has an important role on the drag control, leading to a significant drag reduction or enhancement for the parameters considered. The coherent structures of turbulent boundary layer are altered and the underlying mechanisms are analysed. The results obtained provide physical insight into the understanding of turbulent boundary layer control.     

Large Eddy Simulation of Turbulent Channel Flow with 3D Roughness Using a Roughness Element Model

Large eddy simulation of turbulent channel flow with dense and small 3D roughness elements is carried out using a roughness element model Profiles of mean Reynolds stress, mean velocity and rms velocity as well as turbulent structures near the wall are obtained. The shear stress in the rough wall is larger than that in the smooth wall side and the rough wall has a larger influence on the channel flow. Profiles of mean streamwise velocity near the wall have logarithmic velocity distributions for both smooth and roughness walls, while there is a velocity decrease for the rough wall due to larger fractional drag. All the three components of rms velocities in the rough wall region are larger than that in the smooth wall region, and the roughness elements on the wall increase turbulent intensity in all directions. The s~reak spacing and average diameter of near wall quasi-s~reamwise vortices increase with the presence of roughness elements on the wall and it is shown that the rough wall induces complex and strong streamwise vortices. Results of dense and small 3D roughness elements in both turbulent statistics and structure, obtained with a relatively simple method, are found to be comparable to related experiments.     

Minimum state for high Reynolds and Péclet number turbulent flows

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) or experiments for the very high Reynolds (Re) and Péclet (Pe) number flows commonly exceed the resolution possible even when use is made of the most advanced computer capability or most sophisticated diagnostics and physical capabilities of advanced laboratory facilities. In practice use is made of statistical flow data bases developed at the highest Re and Pe levels achievable within the currently available facility limitations. In addition, there is presently no metric to indicate whether and how much of the fully resolved physics of the flow of interest has been captured within the facilities available. In this Letter the authors develop the necessary metric criteria for homogeneous, isotropic and shear layer flows. It is based on establishing a smaller subset of the total range of dynamic scale interactions that will still faithfully reproduce all of the essential, significant, influences of the larger range of scale interactions. The work identifies a minimum significant Re and Pe level that must be obtained by DNS or experiment in order to capture all of the significant dynamic influences in data which is then scaleable to flows of interest. Hereafter this is called the minimum state. Determination of the minimum state is based on finding a minimum scale separation for the energy-containing scales of the flow and scalar fields sufficient to prevent contamination by interaction with the (non-universal) velocity dissipation and scalar diffusivity inertial range scale limits.     

Curvature Effect on Compressible Turbulent Flow over a Wavy Wall

A fully developed compressible turbulent flow in a channel with a lower wavy wall and a upper plane wall is studied using large eddy simulation. We mainly attempt to deal with the curvature effect on compressible turbulent flow over the wavy wall. Some typical quantities including the mean turbulence statistics, dilatation and baroclinic terms in the enstrophy equation, turbulent kinetic energy budgets and the near-wall turbulent structures are analysed. The results obtained in this study provide physical insight into the understanding of the effects of curvature and compressibility on wall-bounded compressible turbulent flow.     

New Sedov-Type Solution of Isotropic Turbulence

The starting point lies in the results obtained by Sedov （1944） for isotropic turbulence with a self-preserving hypothesis. A careful consideration of the mathematical structure of the Karman-Howarth equation leads to an exact analysis of all cases possible and to all admissible solutions of the problem. I study this interesting problem from a new point of view. New solutions are obtained. Based on these exact solutions, some physical significant consequences of recent advances in the theory of self-preserved homogeneous statistical solution of the Navier-Stokes equations are presented.     

Quasi-stationary states in a circular geometry

The quasi-stationary final states of decaying two-dimensional turbulence on a circular domain, with an initial flow field containing either no or a substantial amount of angular momentum, have been investigated numerically. The production of angular momentum is almost absent for these flows on a circular domain with a no-slip wall. Its presence or absence essentially determines the character of the quasi-stationary final state. Based on a minimum-enstrophy principle a diagram is constructed that provides insight into the development of the typical late-time flow patterns on a circular domain with a no-slip wall. The quasi-stationary final states found in the present numerical study can be understood based on the predictions from the minimum-enstrophy principle.     

Two Phases of Coherent Structure Motions in Turbulent Boundary Layer

Two phases of coherent structure motion are acquired after obtaining conditional phase-averaged waveforms for longitudinal velocity of coherent structures in turbulent boundary layer based on Harr wavelet transfer. The correspondences of the two phases to the two processes （i.e. ejection and sweep） during a burst are determined.     

Compressibility Effects in Turbulent Boundary Layers

Local cascade （LC） scheme and space-time correlations are used to study turbulent structures and their convection behaviour in the near-wall region of compressible boundaxy layers at Ma = 0.8 and 1.3. The convection velocities of fluctuating velocity components u （streamwise） and v （vertical） are investigated by statistically analysing scale-dependent ensembles of LC structures. The results suggest that u is convected with entropy perturbations while v with an isentropic process. An abnormal thin layer distinct from the conventional viscous sub-layer is discovered in the immediate vicinity of the wall （y^＋ ≤ 1） in supersonic flows. While in the region 1 〈 y^＋ 〈 30, streamwise streaks dominate velocity, density and temperature fluctuations, the abnormal thin layer is dominated by spanwise streaks in vertical velocity and density fluctuations, where pressure and density fluctuations are strongly correlated. The LC scheme is proven to be effective in studying the nature of supersonic flows and compressibility effects on wall-bounded motions.     

Direct Numerical Simulation of a Spatially Evolving Supersonic Turbulent Boundary Layer at Ma = 6

Direct numerical simulation is carried out for a spatially evolving supersonic turbulent boundary layer at freestream Mach number 6. To overcome numerical instability, the seventh-order WENO scheme is used for the convection terms of Navier-Stokes equations, and fine mesh is adopted to minimize numerical dissipation. Compressibility effects on the near-wall turbulent kinetic energy budget are studied. The cross-stream extended self-similarity and scaling exponents including the near-wall region are studied. In high Mach number flows, the coherence vortex structures are arranged to be smoother and streamwised, and the hair-pin vortices are less likely tO OCCUr.     

Turbulence Modulations in the Boundary Layer of a Horizontal Particle-Laden Channel Flow

Turbulence modulations are experimentally investigated using particle image velocimetry （PIV） in the lower boundary layer of a fully developed horizontal channel flow. A simultaneous two-phase PIV measurement technique is adopted to acquire the turbulent statistics quantities and to examine the coherent structures in the near-wall region. Polythene beads with diameters of 60 μm are used as dispersed phases, and the PIV measurements have been performed at three mass loadings varying from 2.5 ×10^-4 to 5 × 10^-3. All the experiments are performed at a wall shear Reynolds number of Reτ = 430. The results show that the presence of the particles suppresses the coherent structures, with shorter streamwise extent of the quasistrearnwise structures, and then, the wall-normal velocity fluctuations and shear Reynolds stresses are both decreased in the near-core region. In addition, as a result of the particle wake, the turbulence intensity and shear Reynolds stress both increase in the vicinity of the wall. Due to the drag effects of the particles on the gas, the streamwise velocity gradients decrease in the outer region and increase in the viscous sublayer, meanwhile the thickness of the viscous sublayer also decreases. These results cause the peak values of the streamwise velocity fluctuations adjacent to the wall to increase, and the peak positions shift to the wall. This is the reason for decreasing the near-wall region and increasing the near-core region of the streamwise velocity fluctuations in appearance.     

Supersonic Turbulent Boundary Layer： DNS and RANS

We assess the performance of a few turbulence models for Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes （RANS） simulation of supersonic boundary layers, compared to the direct numerical simulations （DNS） of supersonic flat-plate turbulent boundary layers, carried out by Gao et al. [Chin. Phys. Lett. 22（2005）1709] and Huang et al. [Sci. Chin. 48 （2005） 614], as well as some available experimental data. The assessment is made for two test cases, with incoming Mach numbers and Reynolds numbers M = 2.25, Re = 365, 000//in, and M = 4.5, Re = 1.7 × 10^7/m, respectively. It is found that in the first case the prediction of RANS models agrees well with the DNS and the experimental data, while for the second case the agreement of the DNS models with experiment is less satisfactory. The compressibility effect on the RANS models is discussed.     

Frequency Response of Near-Wall Coherent Structures to Localized Periodic Blowing and Suction in Turbulent Boundary Layer

We experimentally investigate the frequency response of near-wall coherent structures to localized periodic blow- ing and suction through a spanwise slot in a turbulent boundary layer by changing the frequency of periodic disturbance at similar velocities of free stream. The effects of blowing and suction disturbance on energy redistri- bution, turbulent intensity U^＋ rums over y^＋ and waveforms of phase-averaged velocity during sweeping process are respectively discussed under three frequencies of periodic blowing and suction in near-wall region of turbulent boundary layer, compared with those in a standard turbulent boundary layer. The most effective disturbance frequency is figured out in this system.     

Multi-fractal formulation of compressible fully developed turbulence: Parabolic-profile approximation for the singularity spectrum

A parabolic-profile approximation (PPA) for the singularity spectrum D (h) in the multi-fractal model for compressible fully developed turbulence (FDT) is considered and is then extrapolated to the Kolmogorov microscale regime. The generalization of Kolmogorov’s “4/5th law” relating the third-order velocity structure function to the mean energy dissipation rate ε to compressible FDT is considered. The PPA is also shown to afford, unlike the generic multi-fractal model, an analytical calculation of probability distribution function (PDF) of velocity gradients and to describe intermittency corrections for this PDF that complement those provided by homogeneous-fractal model.     

Persistency of material element deformation in isotropic flows and growth rate of lines and surfaces

We explore the consequence of isotropy on the growth of material lines and surfaces in complex flows. We show that the key parameter is the persistency , defined as the product of a typical stretching rate to its associated coherence time . In particular, we derive the dependence of the net growth rate of both lines and surfaces on . Their growth rates increase strongly with increasing persistencies for small , and then saturate for . Making use of measurements of Girimaji and Pope [1], we estimate the persistency to be of order 1 in isotropic turbulence. We then comment on the evolution of the shape of an initially spherical material blob. While its length increases, one of its tranverse dimension increases slowly and the other one decreases. This quasi-two-dimensional deformation leads a final ribbon-shape. Received 10 November 1999 and Received in final form 14 August 2000     

An experimental study of impulsively started turbulent axisymmetric jets

An impulsively started turbulent jet injected into quiescent surroundings with a constant inlet velocity has been studied experimentally. Results show that the jet length increases linearly with the square-root of time, over a wide range of Reynolds number calculated with respect to the jet diameter. The celerity factor, x_f/t U, has been found to be nearly constant at 2.47 throughout with a 5% variance. Here, x_f is the jet length, t is the time and U is the jet exit velocity. These results compare favourably with earlier results reported at lower Reynolds numbers. Finally, we present a simple model based on the integral energy balance of the turbulent boundary layer equation for an impulsively started turbulent axisymmetric jet. The model predicts a jet length that scales as, where d is the nozzle diameter and B(≈6.0) is the velocity-decay constant. This gives a celerity factor, in close agreement with the experiments.     

On the Doppler distortion of the sea-wave spectra

Discussions on a form of a frequency spectrum of wind-driven sea waves just above the spectral maximum have continued for the last three decades. In 1958 Phillips made a conjecture that wave breaking is the main mechanism responsible for the spectrum formation [O.M. Phillips, J. Fluid Mech. 4 (1958) 426]. That leads to the spectrum decay ∼ω⁻⁵, where ω is the frequency of waves. There is a contradiction between the numerous experimental data and this spectrum. Experiments frequently show decay ∼ω⁻⁴ [Y. Toba, J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan 29 (1973) 209; M.A. Donelan, J. Hamilton, W.H. Hui, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. London A315 (1985) 509; P.A. Hwang, et al., J. Phys. Oceanogr. 30 (1999) 2753]. There are several ways of the explanation of this phenomenon. One of them (proposed by Banner [M.L. Banner, J. Phys. Oceanogr. 20 (1990) 966]) takes into account the Doppler effect due to surface circular currents generated by underlying waves in the Phillips model.In this article the influence of the Doppler effect on an arbitrary averaged spectrum is considered using both analytic and numerical approaches. Although we mostly concentrated on the very important case of Phillips model, the developed technique and general formula can be used for the analysis of other spectra.For the particular case of Phillips spectra we got analytic asymptotics in the vicinity of spectral maximum and for high frequencies. Results were obtained for two most important angular dependences of the spectra: isotropic and strongly anisotropic. Together with the analytic investigation we performed numerical calculations in a wide range of frequencies. Both high and low frequency asymptotics are in very good agreement with the numerical results.It was shown that at least at low frequencies, the correction to the spectrum due to the Doppler shift is negligible. At high frequencies there is an asymptotic with tail ∼ω⁻³.     

Nonperturbative renormalization group approach to turbulence

We suggest a new, renormalization group (RG) based, nonperturbative method for treating the intermittency problem of fully developed turbulence which also includes the effects of a finite boundary of the turbulent flow. The key idea is not to try to construct an elimination procedure based on some assumed statistical distribution, but to make an ansatz for possible RG transformations and to pose constraints upon those, which guarantee the invariance of the nonlinear term in the Navier-Stokes equation, the invariance of the energy dissipation, and other basic properties of the velocity field. The role of length scales is taken to be inverse to that in the theory of critical phenomena; thus possible intermittency corrections are connected with the outer length scale. Depending on the specific type of flow, we find different sets of admissible transformations with distinct scaling behaviour: for the often considered infinite, isotropic, and homogeneous system K41 scaling is enforced, but for the more realistic plane Couette geometry no restrictions on intermittency exponents were obtained so far. Received: 28 December 1997 / Accepted: 6 August 1998