Turbulence Modeling Effects on the Prediction of Equilibrium States of Buoyant Shear Flows

The effects of turbulence modeling on the prediction of equilibrium states of turbulent buoyant shear flows were investigated. The velocity field models used include a two-equation closure, a Reynolds-stress closure assuming two different pressure-strain models and three different dissipation rate tensor models. As for the thermal field closure models, two different pressure-scrambling models and nine different temperature variance dissipation rate ɛ_τ) equations were considered. The emphasis of this paper is focused on the effects of the ɛ_τ-equation, of the dissipation rate models, of the pressure-strain models and of the pressure-scrambling models on the prediction of the approach to equilibrium turbulence. Equilibrium turbulence is defined by the time rate of change of the scaled Reynolds stress anisotropic tensor and heat flux vector becoming zero. These conditions lead to the equilibrium state parameters, given by /ɛ, _τ/ɛ_τ, , Sk/ɛ and G/ɛ, becoming constant. Here, and _τ are the production of turbulent kinetic energy k and temperature variance , respectively, ɛ and ɛ_τ are their respective dissipation rates, R is the mixed time scale ratio, G is the buoyant production of k and S is the mean shear gradient. Calculations show that the ɛ_τ-equation has a significant effect on the prediction of the approach to equilibrium turbulence. For a particular ɛ_τ-equation, all velocity closure models considered give an equilibrium state if anisotropic dissipation is accounted for in one form or another in the dissipation rate tensor or in the ɛ-equation. It is further found that the models considered for the pressure-strain tensor and the pressure-scrambling vector have little or no effect on the prediction of the approach to equilibrium turbulence. Received 21 April 2000 and accepted 21 February 2001     

A Priori Assessment of an Iterative Deconvolution Method for LES Sub-grid Scale Variance Modelling

An alternative method is proposed as a means for providing a closure for the sub-grid-scale variance, which is a key quantity in reacting flow simulations. The method is based on deconvolution, namely a constrained iterative deconvolution method combined with explicit filtering. The assessment of the method is conducted a priori using a direct numerical simulation database, and for the conditions tested in this study the method is found to provide quantitatively good estimates of both the un-filtered progress variable and its variance.     

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.     

On Low-Dimensional Modeling of Channel Turbulence

We investigate a sequence of low-dimensional models of turbulent channel flows. These models are based on the extraction of the Karhunen–Loève (KL) eigenfunctions from a large-scale simulation in a wide channel with R _*=180 (based on the friction velocity). KL eigenfunctions provide an optimal coordinate system in which to represent the dynamics of the turbulent flow. The hierarchy of KL modes identifies the most energetic independent phenomena in the system. A series of Galerkin projections is then used to derive a dynamical approximation to flows. In order to capture essential aspects of the flow in a low-dimensional system, a careful selection of modes is carried out. The resulting models satisfy momentum and energy conservation as well as yielding the amount of viscous dissipation found in the exact system. Their dynamics includes modes which characterize the flux, rolls, and propagating waves. Unlike previous treatments the instantaneous streamwise flow is time dependent and represented by KL flux modes. The rolls correspond to the streaks observed in experiments in the viscous sublayer. Propagating waves which first appear in the model flow at low Reynolds number (R _*∼ 60) persist through the chaotic regime that appears as the Reynolds number is increased. Statistical measures of the chaotic flows which have been generated by the models compare favorably with those found in full-scale simulations. Received 13 July 1998 and accepted 8 January 1999     

Assessment of Five SGS Models for Low-Rem MHD Turbulence

Assessment of three regularization-based and two eddy-viscosity-based subgrid-scale (SGS) turbulence models for large eddy simulations (LES) are carried out in the context of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) decaying homogeneous turbulence (DHT) with a Taylor scale Reynolds number (Re_λ) of 120 and a MHD transition-to-turbulence Taylor-Green vortex (TGV) problems with a Reynolds number of 3000, through direct comparisons to direct numerical simulations (DNS). Simulations are conducted using the low-magnetic Reynolds number approximation (Re_m<<1). LES predictions using the regularization-based Leray- α,LANS- α, and Clark- α SGS models, along with the eddy viscosity-based non-dynamic Smagorinsky and the dynamic Smagorinsky models are compared to in-house DNS for DHT and previous results for TGV. With regard to the regularization models, this work represents their first application to MHD turbulence. Analyses of turbulent kinetic energy decay rates, energy spectra, and vorticity fields made between the varying magnetic field cases demonstrated that the regularization models performed poorly compared to the eddy-viscosity models for all MHD cases, but the comparisons improved with increase in magnitude of magnetic field, due to a decrease in the population of SGS eddies within the flow field.     

Assessment of Subgrid-Scale Models for Decaying Compressible MHD Turbulence

Large eddy simulation method is formulated for study of compressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence and assessment of different subgrid-scale models as applied for decaying case is performed. The filtered equations of compressible magnetopause using the mass-weighted filtering operation are obtained. Mass-weighted filtered equations for large-scale turbulent component comprise subgrid-scale terms and five models for closure of the subgrid-scale terms are suggested. In present paper the obtained results of numerical computations for large eddy simulation are compared with the results of direct numerical simulation of three-dimensional compressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence. Assessment of five subgrid-scale models of large eddy simulation for MHD flows is fulfilled. The comparisons between large eddy simulation and direct numerical simulation are carried out regarding the temporal evolution of the global quantities kinetic and magnetic energy, cross helicity and the spectra of kinetic and magnetic energy.     

Turbulence Modeling in Noninertial Frames of Reference

The effect of an arbitrary change of frame on the structure of turbulence models is examined from a theoretical standpoint. It is proven, as a rigorous consequence of the Navier-Stokes equations, that turbulence models must be form invariant under arbitrary translational accelerations of the reference frame and should only be affected by rotations through the intrinsic mean vorticity. A direct application of this invariance property along with the Taylor-Proudman theorem, material frame-indifference in the limit of two-dimensional turbulence, and Rapid Distortion Theory is shown to yield powerful constraints on the allowable form of turbulence models. Most of the commonly used turbulence models are demonstrated to be in violation of these constraints and consequently are inconsistent with the Navier-Stokes equations in noninertial frames. Alternative models with improved noninertial properties are developed and some simple applications to rotating turbulent flows are considered.This research was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under NASA Contract No. NAS1-18107 while the author was in residence at the Institute for Computer Applications in Science and Engineering (ICASE), NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23665, U.S.A. Partial support was also provided by the Office of Naval Research under Contract No. N00014-85-K-0238.     

Turbulence Modeling for the Stable Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Implications for Wind Energy

The near-surface structure of atmospheric turbulence affects the design and operation of wind turbines and is especially difficult to predict under stably-stratified conditions. This study uses large-eddy simulation (LES) to explore properties of the stable boundary layer (SBL) using an explicit filtering and reconstruction turbulence modeling approach. Simulations of the atmospheric boundary layer over flat terrain, under both moderately and strongly stable conditions are performed. Results from high-resolution simulations are used to investigate SBL flow structures including mean profiles and turbulence statistics, which are relevant to wind energy applications. The applicability of power-law relations and empirical similarity formulations for predicting wind speed depend on the strength of stratification and are shown to be inadequate. Low-level jets form in the simulations. Under strong stability, vertical wind shear below the jet triggers intermittent turbulence. The associated sporadic “bursting” events are extremely energetic and last longer than the time scale of the largest eddies. Such phenomena can have adverse effects on turbine lifetime and performance.     

A Century of Turbulence

A brief, superficial survey of some very personal nominations for highpoints of the last hundred years in turbulence. Some conclusions can be dimly seen. This field does not appear to have a pyramidal structure, like the best of physics. We have very few great hypotheses. Most of our experiments are exploratory experiments. What does this mean? We believe it means that, even after 100 years, turbulence studies are still in their infancy. We are naturalists, observing butterflies in the wild. We are still discovering how turbulence behaves, in many respects. We do have a crude, practical, working understanding of many turbulence phenomena but certainly nothing approaching a comprehensive theory, and nothing that will provide predictions of an accuracy demanded by designers. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Priori Estimates for Free Boundary Problem of Incompressible Inviscid Magnetohydrodynamic Flows

In the present paper, we prove the a priori estimates of Sobolev norms for a free boundary problem of the incompressible inviscid magnetohydrodynamics equations in all physical spatial dimensions n = 2 and 3 by adopting a geometrical point of view used in Christodoulou and Lindblad (Commun Pure Appl Math 53:1536–1602, 2000), and estimating quantities such as the second fundamental form and the velocity of the free surface. We identify the well-posedness condition that the outer normal derivative of the total pressure including the fluid and magnetic pressures is negative on the free boundary, which is similar to the physical condition (Taylor sign condition) for the incompressible Euler equations of fluids.     

Modeling the Effect of Freestream Turbulence on Unsteady Boundary Layer Flow

We present a new version of the two-equation turbulence model, which makes it possible to calculate continuously the entire flow range from laminar to turbulent, including transition, in the case of a time-periodic, high-turbulence-level freestream. The influence of the parameters characterizing the harmonic fluctuations of the external velocity and the freestream turbulence intensity and scale on the parameters of the flat-plate flow are analyzed. A comparison of the numerical solutions with the experimental and theoretical data indicates the possibility of describing the wall flow properties on the basis of a quasi-stationary turbulence model, as the Reynolds number varies from low to high values.     

A Priori Estimates for Fractional Nonlinear Degenerate Diffusion Equations on Bounded Domains

Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis - We investigate quantitative properties of the nonnegative solutions $${u(t,x)\geq 0}$$ to the nonlinear fractional diffusion equation, $${\partial_t u...     

复合型紊流润滑理论模式的研究

对复合型紊流润滑理论模式和国际上通用的几种紊流润滑理论模式进行比较研究,针对纯Ｃｏｕｅｔｔｅ流动和兼有压力梯度与剪切运动的复杂流动２种流场,用各种紊流润滑模式进行计算分析,并与不同雷诺数下时均速度的现有试验数据对比,研究表明：与其它紊流模式比较,复合型紊流润滑模式能准确分析不同工况的流场,与试验数据最为吻合;在低雷诺数下,复合型紊流模式由于理论基础的坚实性,仍能很好地适用,当用于既有高雷诺数又有低     

A Computational Algorithm for Second-Moment Closure Turbulence Modelling

A computational formulation is proposed for second-moment closure turbulence models, especially suited to models intended to ensure physical realizability. It enables to cast the quite complicated model equations in a compact form. It is specifically applied here to a two-dimensional parabolized flow, though it lends itself to extension to more complex flows. An effective computational algorithm is proposed, based on a staggered grid and a block tridiagonal solver. The algorithm is applied to a turbulent mixing layer, and the comparison between the predictions obtained by standard modelling tools and a realizable second-moment closure clearly points out the superiority of the latter.     

Looking for Turbulence Structures: A Numerical Exploration

The purpose of this paper, dedicated to the memory of our friend Hieu Ha Minh, is to wander through the turbulence universe using deterministic computational tools based on large-eddy simulations (LES) in physical and spectral space. We first briefly recall the subgrid models used, then apply them to mixing layers, jets, separated flows (the backstep in particular, on which Hieu worked a lot) and boundary layers. The influence of compressibility will be also considered. These fine-grain LES allow us to decipher very nicely the intimate vortical structure of turbulence, and predict their statistics. Finally, we discuss of the applicability of these methods to industrial flows. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Very Large Eddy Simulation Model Using a Reductionist Inlet Turbulence Generator and Wall Modeling for Stable Atmospheric Boundary Layers

Fluid Dynamics - Despite many advances in numerical simulation of stable boundary layers (SBL), most of the models developed are complex and computationally expensive. A computational fluid...     

A Priori Tests of RANS Models for Turbulent Channel Flows of a Dense Gas

Dense gas effects, encountered in many engineering applications, lead to unconventional variations of the thermodynamic and transport properties in the supersonic flow regime, which in turn are responsible for considerable modifications of turbulent flow behavior with respect to perfect gases. The most striking differences for wall-bounded turbulence are the decoupling of dynamic and thermal effects for gases with high specific heats, the liquid-like behavior of the viscosity and thermal conductivity, which tend to decrease away from the wall, and the increase of density fluctuations in the near wall region. The present work represents a first attempt of quantifying the influence of such dense gas effects on modeling assumptions employed for the closure of the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, with focus on the eddy viscosity and turbulent Prandtl number models. For that purpose, we use recent direct numerical simulation results for supersonic turbulent channel flows of PP11 (a heavy fluorocarbon representative of dense gases) at various bulk Mach and Reynolds numbers to carry out a priori tests of the validity of some currently-used models for the turbulent stresses and heat flux. More specifically, we examine the behavior of the modeled eddy viscosity for some low-Reynolds variants of the \(k-\varepsilon \) model and compare the results with those found for a perfect gas at similar conditions. We also investigate the behavior of the turbulent Prandtl number in dense gas flow and compare the results with the predictions of two well-established turbulent Prandtl number models.     

A Dissipation Rate Equation for Low-Reynolds-Number and Near-Wall Turbulence

Two-equation turbulence models are usually formulated for specific flow types and are seldom validated against a variety of flows to account for near-wall and low-Reynolds-number effects simultaneously. In addition to low-Reynolds-number effects, near-wall flows also experience wall blocking, which is absent in free flows. Consequently, near-wall modifications to two-equation models could be quite different from low-Reynolds-number corrections. Besides, it is known that existing two-equation models perform poorly when used to calculate plane wall jets and two-dimensional backstep flows. These problems could be traced to the modeling of the dissipation rate equation. In this paper an attempt is made to improve the modeling of the dissipation rate equation so that it could successfully predict both free and wall-bounded shear flows including plane wall jets and backstep flows. The predictions are compared with experimental and direct numerical simulation data whenever available. Most of the data used are obtained at low Reynolds numbers. Good correlation with data is obtained. Therefore, for the first time, a model capable of correctly predicting free and wall-bounded shear flows, backstep flows, and plane wall jets is available. Received: 12 December 1995 and accepted 12 November 1996