Prandtl number and thermoacoustic refrigerators

From kinetic gas theory, it is known that the Prandtl number for hard-sphere monatomic gases is 2/3. Lower values can be realized using gas mixtures of heavy and light monatomic gases. Prandtl numbers varying between 0.2 and 0.67 are obtained by using gas mixtures of helium-argon, helium-krypton, and helium-xenon. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation into the effect of Prandtl number on the performance of a thermoacoustic refrigerator using gas mixtures. The measurements show that the performance of the refrigerator improves as the Prandtl number decreases. The lowest Prandtl number of 0.2, obtained with a mixture containing 30% xenon, leads to a coefficient of performance relative to Carnot which is 70% higher than with pure helium.     

Scaling in large Prandtl number turbulent thermal convection

We study the scaling properties of heat transfer Nu in turbulent thermal convection at large Prandtl number Pr using a quasi-linear theory. We show that two regimes arise, depending on the Reynolds number Re. At low Reynolds number, NuPr ^-1/2 and Re are a function of RaPr ^-3/2. At large Reynolds number NuPr ^1/3 and RePr are function only of RaPr ^2/3 (within logarithmic corrections). In practice, since Nu is always close to Ra ^1/3, this corresponds to a much weaker dependence of the heat transfer in the Prandtl number at low Reynolds number than at large Reynolds number. This difference may solve an existing controversy between measurements in SF₆ (large Re) and in alcohol/water (lower Re). We link these regimes with a possible global bifurcation in the turbulent mean flow. We further show how a scaling theory could be used to describe these two regimes through a single universal function. This function presents a bimodal character for intermediate range of Reynolds number. We explain this bimodality in term of two dissipation regimes, one in which fluctuation dominate, and one in which mean flow dominates. Altogether, our results provide a six parameters fit of the curve Nu(Ra, Pr) which may be used to describe all measurements at Pr≥0.7. Received 27 February 2002 / Received in final form 29 May 2002 Published online 31 July 2002     

Lock-exchange flows in inclined pipes: the relevance of the Prandtl mixing length model

We examine the applicability of the Prandtl mixing length model to transverse momentum and mass flux in strongly confined, stably stratified turbulent shear flows. These fluxes were measured in the vertical diametral plane of lock-exchange flows in an inclined pipe by the simultaneous use of planar laser-induced fluorescence and particle image velocimetry at local Reynolds numbers ranging from Re = 580 to 1770 and Richardson numbers ranging from Ri = 0.26 and 1.6. Measurements indicate that the eddy diffusivities of mass and momentum are symmetric about the pipe axis, with their maximum at the axis. The corresponding Prandtl mixing lengths decrease with increasing distance from the pipe axis within the central 60% of the pipe cross-section. Within the range of experimental conditions, the mixing lengths at the axis increase linearly with Ri so that the corresponding turbulent Prandtl number Pr_t decreases with Ri. In contrast, Pr_t and the mixing lengths do not display a systematic dependence on Re. Comparison with unbounded and semi-bound shear flows suggests that the strong confinement imposed by the pipe wall may be constraining the integral length scale and Prandtl mixing lengths.     

Bound on vertical heat transport at large Prandtl number

We prove a new upper bound on the vertical heat transport in Rayleigh-Bénard convection of the form under the assumption that the ratio of Prandtl number over Rayleigh number satisfies where the non-dimensional constant c₀ depends on the aspect ratio of the domain only. This new rigorous bound agrees with the (optimal) bound (modulo logarithmic correction) on vertical heat transport for the infinite Prandtl number model for convection due to Constantin and Doering [P. Constantin, C.R. Doering, Infinite Prandtl number convection, J. Stat. Phys. 94 (1) (1999) 159-172] and Doering, Otto and Reznikoff [C.R. Doering, F. Otto, M.G. Reznikoff, Bounds on vertical heat transport for infinite Prandtl number Rayleigh-Bénard convection, J. Fluid Mech. 560 (2006) 229-241]. It also improves a uniform (in Prandtl number) bound for the Nusselt number [P. Constantin, C.R. Doering, Heat transfer in convective turbulence, Nonlinearity 9 (1996) 1049-1060] in the case of large Prandtl number.     

Magnetic dynamo action at low magnetic Prandtl numbers

Amplification of magnetic field due to kinematic turbulent dynamo action is studied in the regime of small magnetic Prandtl numbers. Such a regime is relevant for planets and stars interiors, as well as for liquid-metal laboratory experiments. A comprehensive analysis based on the Kazantsev-Kraichnan model is reported, which establishes the dynamo threshold and the dynamo growth rates for varying kinetic helicity of turbulent fluctuations. It is proposed that in contrast with the case of large magnetic Prandtl numbers, the kinematic dynamo action at small magnetic Prandtl numbers is significantly affected by kinetic helicity, and it can be made quite efficient with an appropriate choice of the helicity spectrum.     

Viscosity,heat conductivity,and Prandtl number effects in the Rayleigh–Taylor Instability

The two-dimensional Rayleigh–Taylor instability problem is simulated with a multiple-relaxation-time discrete Boltzmann model with a gravity term. Viscosity, heat conductivity, and Prandtl number effects are probed from macroscopic and nonequilibrium viewpoints. In the macro sense, both viscosity and heat conduction show a significant inhibitory effect in the reacceleration stage, which is mainly achieved by inhibiting the development of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. Before this, the Prandtl number effect is not sensitive. Viscosity, heat conductivity, and Prandtl number effects on nonequilibrium manifestations and the degree of correlation between the nonuniformity and the nonequilibrium strength in the complex flow are systematically investigated.     

A BGK model for small Prandtl number in the Navier-Stokes approximation

We present a BGK-type collision model which approximates, by a Chapman-Enskog expansion, the compressible Navier-Stokes equations with a Prandtl number that can be chosen arbitrarily between 0 and 1. This model has the basic properties of the Boltzmann equation, including theH-theorem, but contains an extra parameter in comparison with the standard BGK model. This parameter is introduced multiplying the collision operator by a nonlinear functional of the distribution function. It is adjusted to the Prandtl number.     

Prandtl number effects in decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence with a mean scalar gradient

Decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence with an imposed mean scalar gradient is investigated numerically, thanks to a specific eddy-damped quasi-normal Markovian closure developed recently for passive scalar mixing in homogeneous anisotropic turbulence (BGC). The present modelling is compared successfully with recent direct numerical simulations and other models, for both very large and small Prandtl numbers. First, scalings for the cospectrum and scalar variance spectrum in the inertial range are recovered analytically and numerically. Then, at large Reynolds numbers, the decay and growth laws for the scalar variance and mixed velocity–scalar correlations, respectively, derived in BGC, are shown numerically to remain valid when the Prandtl number strongly departs from unity. Afterwards, the normalised correlation ρ_wθ is found to decrease in magnitude at a fixed Reynolds number when Pr either increases or decreases, in agreement with earlier predictions. Finally, the small scales return to isotropy of the scalar second-order moments is found to depend not only on the Reynolds number, but also on the Prandtl number.     

Influence of the Prandtl and Knudsen numbers on heat-transfer process in the problem of planar Poiseuille flow

The analytic solution (in the form of the Neumann series) has been derived for the problem of computing the heat flux in a planar channel in the presence of a pressure gradient parallel with the walls (in the problem of planar Poiseuille flow) within the framework of the kinetic approach for arbitrary values of the Prandtl number. The ellipsoidal-statistical model of the Boltzmann kinetic equation is used as the governing equation, and the model of diffuse reflection is used as the boundary condition. The conducted numerical analysis of final expressions obtained in the present work showed a substantial dependence of the heat flux on the value of the Prandtl number of gas for channels whose thickness is comparable with the mean free path of gas molecules.     

Numerical study of dynamo action at low magnetic Prandtl numbers

We present a three-pronged numerical approach to the dynamo problem at low magnetic Prandtl numbers P(M). The difficulty of resolving a large range of scales is circumvented by combining direct numerical simulations, a Lagrangian-averaged model and large-eddy simulations. The flow is generated by the Taylor-Green forcing; it combines a well defined structure at large scales and turbulent fluctuations at small scales. Our main findings are (i) dynamos are observed from P(M)=1 down to P(M)=10(-2), (ii) the critical magnetic Reynolds number increases sharply with P(M)(-1) as turbulence sets in and then it saturates, and (iii) in the linear growth phase, unstable magnetic modes move to smaller scales as P(M) is decreased. Then the dynamo grows at large scales and modifies the turbulent velocity fluctuations.     

Simulation of induction at low magnetic Prandtl number

We consider the induction of a magnetic field in flows of an electrically conducting fluid at low magnetic Prandtl number and large kinetic Reynolds number. Using the separation between the magnetic and kinetic diffusive length scales, we propose a new numerical approach. The coupled magnetic and fluid equations are solved using a mixed scheme, where the magnetic field fluctuations are fully resolved and the velocity fluctuations at small scale are modeled using a large eddy simulation (LES) scheme. We study the response of a forced Taylor-Green flow to an externally applied field: topology of the mean induction and time fluctuations at fixed locations. The results are in remarkable agreement with existing experimental data; a global 1/f behavior at long times is also evidenced.     

Critical magnetic Prandtl number for small-scale dynamo

We report a series of numerical simulations showing that the critical magnetic Reynolds number Rm(c) for the nonhelical small-scale dynamo depends on the Reynolds number Re. Namely, the dynamo is shut down if the magnetic Prandtl number Pr(m)=Rm/Re is less than some critical value Pr(m,c)< approximately 1 even for Rm for which dynamo exists at Pr(m)> or =1. We argue that, in the limit of Re-->infinity, a finite Pr(m,c) may exist. The second possibility is that Pr(m,c)-->0 as Re--> infinity, while Rm(c) tends to a very large constant value inaccessible at current resolutions. If there is a finite Pr(m,c), the dynamo is sustainable only if magnetic fields can exist at scales smaller than the flow scale, i.e., it is always effectively a large-Pr(m) dynamo. If there is a finite Rm(c), our results provide a lower bound: Rm(c) greater, similar 220 for Pr(m)< or =1/8. This is larger than Rm in many planets and in all liquid-metal experiments.     

Convective pattern dynamics at low Prandtl number: Part II

Part II of the paper concerns the erratic time dependence of natural patterns of fluids, particularly those fluids with low Prandtl number. Possible explanations of the phenomena and experimental tests in simple situations are presented. Part I of the paper concerned the concept of pattern instabilities and major pattern defects.     

湍流热对流Prandtl数效应的数值研究

本文采用直接数值模拟的并行直接求解方法,计算了Ra=10~(10),0.05≤Pr≤20的系列Prandtl(Pr)数二维湍流热对流.通过流动显示技术,讨论了Pr数对羽流形态和大尺度环流结构的影响.在Ra=10~(10)时,随着Pr数减小,羽流的运动和分布表现出更强的湍流性质,较高Pr数的羽流则表现出较强的规律性,当Pr4.3时,流场中存在明显的大尺度环流和角涡结构.不同Pr数的温度边界层厚度差异不大,并随Pr数存在标度率变化关系.当Pr数较低时,系统的传热Nusselt(Nu)数随着Pr数增加而增加,当Pr数较高时,Nu数随Pr数的变化不敏感.靠近底板处速度脉动随Pr数有显著的变化,Pr数越低速度波动越剧烈.通过底板中心位置水平脉动速度和平均场水平速度最大值给出的雷诺数Re_((u))和Re_(U_(max)),两种Re数随Pr数的变化满足同一标度律,为Re～Pr~(-0.81).     

Effects of Prandtl number in two-dimensional turbulent convection

We report a numerical study of the Prandtl-number(Pr) effects in two-dimensional turbulent Rayleigh-Benard convection.The simulations were conducted in a square box over the Pr range from 0.25 to 100 and over the Rayleigh number(Ra) range from 107 to 1010.We find that both the strength and the stability of the large-scale flow decrease with the increasing of Pr,and the flow pattern becomes plume-dominated at high Pr.The evolution in flow pattern is quantified by the Reynolds number(Re),with the Ra and the Pr scaling exponents varying from 0.54 to 0.67 and-0.87 to-0.93,respectively.It is further found that the non-dimensional heat flux at small Ra diverges strongly for different Pr,but their difference becomes marginal as Ra increases.For the thermal boundary layer,the spatially averaged thicknesses for all the Pr numbers can be described by δ_θ～Ra~(-0.30) approximately,but the local values vary a lot for different Pr,which become more uniform with Pr increasing.     

Heat transfer in a flow of gas mixture with low Prandtl number in triangular channels

We investigated heat transfer in a channel with a triangular cross-section. The working medium is a helium–xenon mixture with a low Prandtl number. This channel configuration corresponds to one of possible cases of fuel cells layout in a gas-cooled nuclear reactor. New experimental data on heat transfer in helium–xenon mixtures were obtained. Results of numerical modeling were compared with the experimental data and the known empirical correlations.     

Similarities between 2D and 3D convection for large Prandtl number

Using direct numerical simulations of Rayleigh–Bénard convection (RBC), we perform a comparative study of the spectra and fluxes of energy and entropy, and the scaling of large-scale quantities for large and infinite Prandtl numbers in two (2D) and three (3D) dimensions. We observe close similarities between the 2D and 3D RBC, in particular, the kinetic energy spectrum E_u(k)～k^?13/3, and the entropy spectrum exhibits a dual branch with a dominant k^?2 spectrum. We showed that the dominant Fourier modes in 2D and 3D flows are very close. Consequently, the 3D RBC is quasi-two-dimensional, which is the reason for the similarities between the 2D and 3D RBC for large and infinite Prandtl numbers.     

Numerical demonstration of fluctuation dynamo at low magnetic Prandtl numbers

Direct numerical simulations of incompressible nonhelical randomly forced MHD turbulence are used to demonstrate for the first time that the fluctuation dynamo exists in the limit of large magnetic Reynolds number Rm>1 and small magnetic Prandtl number Pm<1. The dependence of the critical Rmc for dynamo on the hydrodynamic Reynolds number Re is obtained for 1 less than or similar Re less than or similar 6700. In the limit Pm<1, Rmc is about 3 times larger than for the previously well-established dynamo at large and moderate Prandtl numbers: Rmc less than or similar 200 for Re greater than or similar 6000 compared to Rmc approximately 60 for Pm>or=1. It is not yet possible to determine numerically whether the growth rate of the magnetic energy is proportional, Rm1/2 in the limit Rm-->infinity, as it should be if the dynamo is driven by the inertial-range motions at the resistive scale.     

On the applicability of low-dimensional models for convective flow reversals at extreme Prandtl numbers

Constructing simpler models, either stochastic or deterministic, for exploring the phenomenon of flow reversals in fluid systems is in vogue across disciplines. Using direct numerical simulations and nonlinear time series analysis, we illustrate that the basic nature of flow reversals in convecting fluids can depend on the dimensionless parameters describing the system. Specifically, we find evidence of low-dimensional behavior in flow reversals occurring at zero Prandtl number, whereas we fail to find such signatures for reversals at infinite Prandtl number. Thus, even in a single system, as one varies the system parameters, one can encounter reversals that are fundamentally different in nature. Consequently, we conclude that a single general low-dimensional deterministic model cannot faithfully characterize flow reversals for every set of parameter values.     

An Optimal Analysis for 3D Flow of Prandtl Nanofluid with Convectively Heated Surface

In this paper,the magnetohydrodynamic 3 D flow of Prandtl nanoliquid subject to convectively heated extendable surface has been discussed.A linear stretching surface makes the flow.Thermophoretic and Brownian motion impacts are explored.Heat transfer for convective procedure is considered.Prandtl liquid is taken electrically conducted through applied magnetic field.Suitable non-dimensional variables lead to strong nonlinear ordinary differential system.The obtained nonlinear differential systems are solved through optimal homotopic technique.Physical quantities like skin friction coefficients and Nusselt number are explored via plots.It is observed that effects of Hartman parameter and Biot number on temperature and concentration are quite similar.Both temperature and concentration are enhanced for larger values of Hartman parameter and Biot number.