A hybrid dynamic Smagorinsky model for large eddy simulation

A hybrid dynamic subgrid-scale model (HDSM) pertaining to Large-eddy simulation (LES) has been developed. The coefficient obtained by German dynamic Smagorinsky model (DSM) was integrated with a new dynamic coefficient, based on the dynamic subgrid characteristic length and controlled by the subgrid-scale (SGS) motions. In HDSM, the characteristic wave number determining the characteristic length of the dynamic subgrid is calculated from a new energy weighted mean method when the subgrid scale turbulent kinetic energy and the dissipation wave number are known. The dissipation wave-number is derived from the SGS turbulent kinetic energy spectrum equation. The total dissipation rate spectrum equation is based on the Pao energy spectrum and local equilibrium assumption. The dynamic subgrid characteristic length could take into account the rapidly fluctuating small scale behaviours and the spatial variation of turbulent characteristics. HDSM was used to simulate the fully developed channel and turbulent flow past a circular cylinder, and to determine the impact of the dam-break flow on downstream structure. The HDSM is robust in respect to anisotropic mesh and is less sensitive to grid resolution, and would accurately describe the energy transfer from large-scale to SGS fluctuations and capture more fluctuations of turbulence with same meshes compared to the DSM.     

Large Eddy Simulations: How to evaluate resolution

The present paper gives an analysis of fully developed channel flow at Reynolds number of Re=u_τδ/ν=4000 based on the friction velocity, u_τ, and half the channel height, δ. Since the Reynolds number is high, the LES is coupled to a URANS model near the wall (hybrid LES–RANS) which acts as a wall model. It it found that the energy spectra is not a good measure of LES resolution; neither is the ratio of the resolved turbulent kinetic energy to the total one (i.e. resolved plus modelled turbulent kinetic energy). It is suggested that two-point correlations are the best measures for estimating LES resolution. It is commonly assumed that SGS dissipation takes place at high wavenumbers. Energy spectra of the fluctuating velocity gradients show that this is not true; the major part of the SGS dissipation takes place at low to midrange wavenumbers. Furthermore, the energy spectra of the fluctuating velocity gradients reveals that the accuracy of the predicted velocity gradients at the highest resolved wavenumbers is very poor.     

Conditional Moment Closure for Large Eddy Simulations

A conditional moment closure (CMC) based combustion model for large-eddy simulations (LES) of turbulent reacting flow is proposed and evaluated. Transport equations for the conditionally filtered species are derived that are consistent with the LES formulation and closures are suggested for the modelling of the conditional velocity, conditional scalar dissipation and the fluctuations around the conditional mean. A conventional β-probability density distribution of the scalar is used together with dynamic modelling for the sub-grid fluxes. The model is validated by comparison of simulations with measurements of a piloted, turbulent methane-air jet diffusion flame.     

Progress in subgrid-scale transport modelling for continuous hybrid non-zonal RANS/LES simulations

The partially integrated transport modelling (PITM) method can be viewed as a continuous approach for hybrid RANS/LES modelling allowing seamless coupling between the RANS and the LES regions. The subgrid turbulence quantities are thus calculated from spectral equations depending on the varying spectral cutoff location [Schiestel, R., Dejoan, A., 2005. Towards a new partially integrated transport model for coarse grid and unsteady turbulent flow simulations. Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics 18, 443–468; Chaouat, B., Schiestel, R., 2005. A new partially integrated transport model for subgrid-scale stresses and dissipation rate for turbulent developing flows. Physics of Fluids, 17 (6)] The PITM method can be applied to almost all statistical models to derive its hybrid LES counterpart. In the present work, the PITM version based on the transport equations for the turbulent Reynolds stresses together with the dissipation transport rate equation is now developed in a general formulation based on a new accurate energy spectrum function E(κ) valid in both large and small eddy ranges that allows to calibrate more precisely the c_sgs2 function involved in the subgrid dissipation rate _sgs transport equation. The model is also proposed here in an extended form which remains valid in low Reynolds number turbulent flows. This is achieved by considering a characteristic turbulence length-scale based on the total turbulent energy and the total dissipation rate taking into account the subgrid and resolved parts of the dissipation rate. These improvements allow to consider a large range of flows including various free flows as well as bounded flows. The present model is first tested on the decay of homogeneous isotropic turbulence by referring to the well known experiment of Comte-Bellot and Corrsin. Then, initial perturbed spectra E(κ) with a peak or a defect of energy are considered for analysing the model capabilities in strong non-equilibrium flow situations. The second test case is the classical fully turbulent channel flow that allows to assess the performance of the model in non-homogeneous flows characterised by important anisotropy effects. Different simulations are performed on coarse and refined meshes for checking the grid independence of solutions as well as the consistency of the subgrid-scale model when the filter width is changed. A special attention is devoted to the sharing out of the energy between the subgrid-scales and the resolved scales. Both the mean velocity and the turbulent stress computations are compared with data from direct numerical simulations.     

Direct simulation of compressible turbulence in a shear flow

The purpose of this study is to investigate compressibility effects on the turbulence in homogeneous shear flow. We find that the growth of the turbulent kinetic energy decreases with increasing Mach number—a phenomenon which is similar to the reduction of turbulent velocity intensities observed in experiments on supersonic free shear layers. An examination of the turbulent energy budget shows that both the compressible dissipation and the pressure-dilatation contribute to the decrease in the growth of kinetic energy. The pressure-dilatation is predominantly negative in homogeneous shear flow, in contrast to its predominantly positive behavior in isotropic turbulence. The different signs of the pressure-dilatation are explained by theoretical consideration of the equations for the pressure variance and density variance. We previously obtained the following results for isotropic turbulence: first, the normalized compressible dissipation is of O(M _t ² ), and, second, there is approximate equipartition between the kinetic and potential energies associated with the fluctuating compressible mode. Both these results have now been substantiated in the case of homogeneous shear. The dilatation field is significantly more skewed and intermittent than the vorticity field. Strong compressions seem to be more likely than strong expansions.Dedicated to Professor J.L. Lumley on the occasion of his 60th birthday.This research was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under NASA Contract No. NAS1-18605 while the authors were in residence at the Institute for Computer Applications in Science and Engineering (ICASE), NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23665, U.S.A.     

Flow-thermodynamics interactions in decaying anisotropic compressible turbulence with imposed temperature fluctuations

The fundamental nature of the non-linear flow-thermodynamics interactions in a compressible turbulent flow with imposed temperature fluctuations is investigated. Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of decaying anisotropic compressible turbulence (turbulent Mach number 0.06–0.6) with imposed temperature fluctuations are performed to examine: (i) interactions between solenoidal and dilatational kinetic energy; (ii) partition between dilatational kinetic energy and thermodynamic potential energy; and (iii) redistribution of solenoidal and dilatational kinetic energy among the various Reynolds stress components. It is found that solenoidal kinetic energy levels and return-to-isotropy are weakly dependent on Mach number but independent of imposed temperature fluctuations in the parameter range studied. The dilatational kinetic energy generated is proportional to the square of the pressure fluctuations associated with the initial solenoidal and temperature fluctuations and thus a strong function of Mach number and heat release intensity. The energy exchange between dilatational kinetic and potential energy is driven by a strong proclivity toward equipartition. Consequently, the dynamics of pressure-dilatation ( ${\overline{pd}}$ ), which is the mechanism of this energy exchange between dilatational and potential energies, is dictated entirely by the requirement to impose energy equipartition. Based on the results, we provide a physical picture of the solenoidal–dilatational–potential energy interactions and the action of pressure-dilatation. The identification of the fundamental precepts underlying the various interactions is of great utility for turbulence closure model development.     

Similarity solutions of vertical plane wall plume based on finite analytic method

The turbulent flow of vertical plane wall plume with concentration variation was studied with the finite analytical method. The k-epsilon model with the effect of buoyancy on turbulent kinetic energy and its dissipation rate was adopted. There were similarity solutions in the uniform environment for the system of equations including the equation of continuity, the equation of momentum along the flow direction and concentration, and equations of k, epsilon. The finite analytic method was applied to obtain the similarity solution. The calculated data of velocity, relative density difference, the kinetic energy of turbulence and its dissipation rate distribution for vertical plane plumes are in good agreement with the experimental data at the turbulent Schmidt number equal to 1.0. The variations of their maximum value along the direction of main flow were also given. It shows that the present model is good, i.e., the effect of buoyancy on turbulent kinetic energy and its dissipation rate should be taken into account, and the finite analytic method is effective.     

Study of a Filtered Flamelet Formulation for Large Eddy Simulation of Premixed Turbulent Flames

Despite significant advances in the understanding and modelling of turbulent combustion, no general model has been proposed for simulating flames in industrial combustion devices. Recently, the increase in computational possibilities has raised the hope of directly solving the large turbulent scales using large eddy simulation (LES) and capturing the important time-dependant phenomena. However, the chemical reactions involved in combustion occur at very small scales and the modelling of turbulent combustion processes is still required within the LES framework. In the present paper, a recently presented model for the LES of turbulent premixed flames is presented, analysed and discussed. The flamelet hypothesis is used to derive a filtered source term for the filtered progress variable equation. The model ensures proper flame propagation. The effect of subgrid scale (SGS) turbulence on the flame is modelled through the flame-wrinkling factor. The present modelling of the source term is successfully tested against filtered direct numerical simulation (DNS) data of a V-shape flame. Further, a premixed turbulent flame, stabilised behind an expansion, is simulated. The predictions agree well with the available experimental data, showing the capabilities of the model for performing accurate simulations of unsteady premixed flames.     

Development of Gas-Particle Euler-Euler LES Approach: A Priori Analysis of Particle Sub-Grid Models in Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence

A new large eddy simulation (LES) approach for particle-laden turbulent flows in the framework of the Eulerian formalism for inertial particle statistical modelling is developed. Local instantaneous Eulerian equations for the particle cloud are first written using the mesoscopic Eulerian formalism (MEF) proposed by Février et al. (J Fluid Mech 533:1–46, 2005), which accounts for the contribution of an uncorrelated velocity component for inertial particles with relaxation time larger than the Kolmogorov time scale. Second, particle LES equations are obtained by volume filtering the mesoscopic Eulerian ones. In such an approach, the particulate flow at larger scales than the filter width is recovered while sub-grid effects need to be modelled. Particle eddy-viscosity, scale similarity and mixed sub-grid stress (SGS) models derived from fluid compressible turbulence SGS models are presented. Evaluation of such models is performed using three sets of particle Lagrangian results computed from discrete particle simulation (DPS) coupled with fluid direct numerical simulation (DNS) of homogeneous isotropic decaying turbulence. The two phase flow regime corresponds to the dilute one where two-way coupling and inter-particle collisions are not considered. The different particle Stokes number (based on Kolmogorov time scale) are initially equal to 1, 2.2 and 5.1. The mesoscopic field properties are analysed in detail by considering the particle velocity probability function (PDF), correlated velocity power spectra and random uncorrelated velocity moments. The mesoscopic fields measured from DPS+DNS are then filtered to obtain large scale fields. A priori evaluation of particle sub-grid stress models gives comparable agreement than for fluid compressible turbulence models. It has been found that the standard Smagorinsky eddy-viscosity model exhibits the smaller correlation coefficients, the scale similarity model shows very good correlation coefficient but strongly underestimates the sub-grid dissipation and the mixed model is on the whole superior to pure eddy-viscosity model.     

Effects of the Similarity Model in Finite-Difference LES of Isotropic Turbulence Using a Lagrangian Dynamic Mixed Model

A Lagrangian dynamic formulation of the mixed similarity subgrid (SGS) model for large-eddy simulation (LES) of turbulence is proposed. In this model, averaging is performed over fluid trajectories, which makes the model applicable to complex flows without directions of statistical homogeneity. An alternative version based on a Taylor series expansion (nonlinear mixed model) is also examined. The Lagrangian models are implemented in a finite difference code and tested in forced and decaying isotropic turbulence. As comparison, the dynamic Smagorinsky model and volume-averaged formulations of the mixed models are also tested. Good results are obtained, except in the case of low-resolution LES (32³) of decaying turbulence, where the similarity coefficient becomes negative due to the fact that the test-filter scale exceeds the integral scale of turbulence. At a higher resolution (64³), the dynamic similarity coefficient is positive and good agreement is found between predicted and measured kinetic energy evolution. Compared to the eddy viscosity term, the similarity or the nonlinear terms contribute significantly to both SGS dissipation of kinetic energy and SGS force. In order to dynamically test the accuracy of the modeling, the error incurred in satisfying the Germano identity is evaluated. It is found that the dynamic Smagorinksy model generates a very large error, only 3% lower than the worst-case scenario without model. Addition of the similarity or nonlinear term decreases the error by up to about 50%, confirming that it represents a more realistic parameterization than the Smagorinsky model alone.     

Coupling tabulated chemistry with Large Eddy Simulation of turbulent reactive flows

A new modeling strategy is developed to introduce tabulated chemistry methods in the LES of turbulent premixed combustion. The objective is to recover the correct laminar flame propagation speed of the filtered flame front when the subgrid scale turbulence vanishes. The filtered flame structure is mapped by 1D filtered laminar premixed flames. Closure of the filtered progress variable and the energy balance equations are carefully addressed. The methodology is applied to 1D and 2D filtered laminar flames. These computations show the capability of the model to recover the laminar flame speed and the correct chemical structure when the flame wrinkling is completely resolved. The model is then extended to turbulent combustion regimes by introducing subgrid scale wrinkling effects on the flame front propagation. Finally, the LES of a 3D turbulent premixed flame is performed. To cite this article: R. Vicquelin et al., C. R. Mecanique 337 (2009).     

Theoretical investigation of some thermal effects in turbulence modeling

Fluid compressibility effects arising from thermal rather than dynamical aspects are theoretically investigated in the framework of turbulent flows. The Mach number is considered low and not to induce significant compressibility effects which here occur due to a very high thermal gradient within the flowfield. With the use of the Two-Scale Direct Interaction Approximation approach, essential turbulent correlations are derived in a one-point one-time framework. In the low velocity gradient limit, they are shown to directly depend on the temperature gradient, assumed large. The impact of thermal effects onto the transport equations of the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate is also investigated, together with the transport equation for both the density and the internal energy variance.      

Large eddy simulation of homogeneous shear flows with several subgrid‐scale models

In this article, large eddy simulation is used to simulate homogeneous shear flows. The spatial discretization is accomplished by the spectral collocation method and a third‐order Runge–Kutta method is used to integrate the time‐dependent terms. For the estimation of the subgrid‐scale stress tensor, the Smagorinsky model, the dynamic model, the scale‐similarity model and the mixed model are used. Their predicting performance for homogeneous shear flow is compared accordingly. The initial Reynolds number varies from 33 to 99 and the initial shear number is 2. Evolution of the turbulent kinetic energy, the growth rate, the anisotropy component and the subgrid‐scale dissipation rate is presented. In addition, the performance of several filters is examined. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

From single-scale turbulence models to multiple-scale and subgrid-scale models by Fourier transform

A theoretical method based on mathematical physics formalism that allows transposition of turbulence modeling methods from URANS (unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes) models, to multiple-scale models and large eddy simulations (LES) is presented. The method is based on the spectral Fourier transform of the dynamic equation of the two-point fluctuating velocity correlations with an extension to the case of non-homogenous turbulence. The resulting equation describes the evolution of the spectral velocity correlation tensor in wave vector space. Then, we show that the full wave number integration of the spectral equation allows one to recover usual one-point statistical closure whereas the partial integration based on spectrum splitting gives rise to partial integrated transport models (PITM). This latter approach, depending on the type of spectral partitioning used, can yield either a statistical multiple-scale model or subfilter transport models used in LES or hybrid methods, providing some appropriate approximations are made. Closure hypotheses underlying these models are then discussed by reference to physical considerations with emphasis on identification of tensorial fluxes that represent turbulent energy transfer or dissipation. Some experiments such as the homogeneous axisymmetric contraction, the decay of isotropic turbulence, the pulsed turbulent channel flow and a wall injection induced flow are then considered as typical possible applications for illustrating the potentials of these models.      

Large eddy simulation using a dynamic mixing length subgrid‐scale model

A novel dynamic mixing length (DML) subgrid‐scale model for large eddy simulations is proposed in this work to improve the cutoff length of the Smagorinsky model. The characteristic mixing length (or the characteristic wave number) is dynamically estimated for the subgrid‐scale fluctuation of turbulence by the cutoff wave‐number, k_c, and the dissipation wave‐number, k_d. The dissipation wave number is derived from the kinetic energy spectrum equation and the dissipation spectrum equation. To prove the promise of the DML model, this model is used to simulate the lid‐driven cubical cavity with max‐velocity‐based Reynolds numbers 8850 and 12,000, the channel flows with friction‐velocity‐based Reynolds numbers 180, 395, 590, and 950, and the turbulent flow past a square cylinder at the higher Reynolds number 21,400, respectively, compared with the Smagorinsky model and Germano et al.'s dynamic Smagorinsky model. Different numerical experiments with different Reynolds numbers show that the DML model can be used in simulations of flows with a wide range of Reynolds numbers without the occurrence of singular values. The DML model can alleviate the dissipation of the Smagorinsky model without the loss of its robustness. The DML model shows some advantages over Germano et al.'s dynamic Smagorinsky model in its high stability and simplicity of calculation because the coefficient of the DML model always stays positive. The characteristic mixing length in the DML model reflects the subgrid‐scale fluctuation of turbulence in nature and thus the characteristic mixing length has a spatial and temporal distribution in turbulent flow. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A dynamic global-coefficient mixed subgrid-scale model for large-eddy simulation of turbulent flows

A dynamic global-coefficient mixed subgrid-scale eddy-viscosity model for large-eddy simulation of turbulent flows in complex geometries is developed. In the present model, the subgrid-scale stress is decomposed into the modified Leonard stress, cross stress, and subgrid-scale Reynolds stress. The modified Leonard stress is explicitly computed assuming a scale similarity, while the cross stress and the subgrid-scale Reynolds stress are modeled using the global-coefficient eddy-viscosity model. The model coefficient is determined by a dynamic procedure based on the global-equilibrium between the subgrid-scale dissipation and the viscous dissipation. The new model relieves some of the difficulties associated with an eddy-viscosity closure, such as the nonalignment of the principal axes of the subgrid-scale stress tensor and the strain rate tensor and the anisotropy of turbulent flow fields, while, like other dynamic global-coefficient models, it does not require averaging or clipping of the model coefficient for numerical stabilization. The combination of the global-coefficient eddy-viscosity model and a scale-similarity model is demonstrated to produce improved predictions in a number of turbulent flow simulations.     

All-speed Roe scheme for the large eddy simulation of homogeneous decaying turbulence

As a type of shock-capturing scheme, the traditional Roe scheme fails in large eddy simulation (LES) because it cannot reproduce important turbulent characteristics, such as the famous k^?5/3 spectral law, as a consequence of the large numerical dissipation. In this work, the Roe scheme is divided into five parts, namely, ξ, δU_p, δp_p, δU_u, and δp_u, which denote basic upwind dissipation, pressure difference-driven modification of interface fluxes, pressure difference-driven modification of pressure, velocity difference-driven modification of interface fluxes, and velocity difference-driven modification of pressure, respectively. Then, the role of each part in the LES of homogeneous decaying turbulence with a low Mach number is investigated. Results show that the parts δU_u, δp_p, and δU_p have little effect on LES. Such minimal effect is integral to computational stability, especially for δU_p. The large numerical dissipation is due to ξ and δp_u, each of which features a larger dissipation than the sub-grid scale model. On the basis of these conditions, an improved all-speed Roe scheme for LES is proposed. This scheme can provide satisfactory LES results even for coarse grid resolutions with usually adopted second-order reconstructions for the finite volume method.     

一种适用于超音速边界层的湍流转捩模式

建立一种合理反映扰动模态和可压缩性影响的新型k-ω-γ转捩模式.其主要特点为:(1)假设脉动动能k 由湍流脉动部分和非湍流脉动部分组成,且在模化后者时采用了稳定性分析的结果; (2)在间歇因子γ方程的源项中,构造了具有``自动判断转捩起始位置'功能的函数; (3)通过构造新型的物面法向长度尺度,保证了模式中所有的表达式均由当地变量构成,可以方便地应用于现代CFD程序之中. 该模式在亚音速、超音速和高超音速条件下的边界层流动中进行了验证. 计算结果表明,该模式可应用于较宽马赫数范围内的自然转捩以及旁路转捩过程,所具有的捕捉流动转捩的性能优于国际上的现有模式.      

Multicomponent Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations of reshocked Richtmyer–Meshkov instability-induced mixing

A third-order weighted essentially nonoscillatory (WENO) finite-difference implementation of a two-equation K–ε multicomponent Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) model is used to simulate reshocked Richtmyer–Meshkov turbulent mixing of air and sulfur hexafluoride at incident shock Mach numbers Ma_s = 1.24, 1.50, 1.98 with Atwood number At = 0.67 and Ma_s = 1.45 with At = ?0.67. The predicted mixing layer width evolutions are compared with experimental measurements of the width before and after reshock [M. Vetter, B. Sturtevant, Shock Waves 4 (1995) 247; F. Poggi, M.H. Thorembey, G. Rodriguez, Phys. Fluids 10 (1998) 2698] and with the analytical self-similar power-law solution of the simplified model equations before reshock. A new procedure is introduced for the specification of the initial turbulent kinetic energy and its dissipation rate, in which these quantities are related by the linear instability growth rate. The predicted mixing layer widths before reshock are shown to be sensitive to changes in the initial turbulent kinetic energy and its dissipation rate, while the widths after reshock are sensitive to changes in the model coefficients C_ε0 and σ_ρ appearing in the buoyancy (shock) production terms in the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate equations. A set of model coefficients and initial conditions is shown to predict mixing layer widths in generally good agreement with the pre-reshock experimental data, and very good agreement with the post-reshock data for all cases. Budgets of the turbulent kinetic energy equation just before and after reshock for the Ma_s = 1.24 case are used to identify the principal physical mechanisms generating turbulence in reshocked Richtmyer–Meshkov instability: buoyancy production (pressure work) and shear production. Numerical convergence of the mixing layer widths under spatial grid refinement is also demonstrated for each of the Mach numbers considered.     

Large Eddy Simulations Using an Unstructured Grid Compressible Navier - Stokes Algorithm

Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of the decay of isotropic turbulence and of channel flow has been performed using an explicit second-order unstructured grid algorithm for tetrahedral cells. The algorithm solves for cell-averaged values using the finite volume form of the unsteady compressible Jittered Navier-Stokes equations. The inviscid fluxes are obtained from Godunov's exact Riemann solver. Reconstruction of the flow variables to the left and right sides of each face is performed using least squares or Frink's method. The viscous fluxes and heat transfer are obtained by application of Gauss' theorem. LES of the decay of nearly incompressible isotropic turbulence has been performed using two models for the SGS stresses: the Monotone Integrated Large Eddy Simulation (MILES) approach, wherein the inherent numerical dissipation models the sub-grid scale (SGS) dissipation, and the Smagorinsky SGS model. The results using the MILES approach with least squares reconstruction show good agreement with incompressible experimental data. The contribution of the Smagorinsky SGS model is negligible. LES of turbulent channel flow was performed at a Reynolds number (based on channel height and bulk velocity) of 5600 and Mach number of 0.5 (at which compressibility effects are minimal) using Smagorinsky's SGS model with van Driest damping. The results show good agreement with experimental data and direct numerical simulations for incompressible channel flow. The SGS eddy viscosity is less than 10% of the molecular viscosity, and therefore the LES is effectively MILES with molecular viscosity.