Disturbance convection velocity in turbulent jets under aeroacoustic excitation

The velocity of propagation of toroidal and oblique vortices formed in subsonic and supersonic turbulent jets under longitudinal internal and transverse external excitation by finite-amplitude saw-tooth acoustic waves is studied experimentally. It is demonstrated that the convection velocity of vortices is not constant, and the character of its variation depends on the vortex shape. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 48, No. 5, pp. 21–25, September–October, 2007.     

Asymmetric vortex shedding flow past an inclined flat plate at high incidence

This paper reports an experimental investigation of the vortex shedding wake behind a long flat plate inclined at a small angle of attack to a main flow stream. Detailed velocity fields are obtained with particle-image velocimetry (PIV) at successive phases in a vortex shedding cycle at three angles of attack, α=20°, 25° and 30°, at a Reynolds number Re≈5,300. Coherent patterns and dynamics of the vortices in the wake are revealed by the phase-averaged PIV vectors and derived turbulent properties. A vortex street pattern comprising a train of leading edge vortices alternating with a train of trailing edge vortices is found in the wake. The trailing edge vortex is shed directly from the sharp trailing edge while there are evidences that the formation and shedding of the leading edge vortex involve a more complicated mechanism. The leading edge vortex seems to be shed into the wake from an axial location near the trailing edge. After shedding, the vortices are convected downstream in the wake with a convection speed roughly equal to 0.8 the free-stream velocity. On reaching the same axial location, the trailing edge vortex, as compared to the leading edge vortex, is found to possess a higher peak vorticity level at its centre and induce more intense fluid circulation and Reynolds stresses production around it. It is found that the results at the three angles of attack can be collapsed into similar trends by using the projected plate width as the characteristic length of the flow.     

Three-dimensional conjugate natural convection in a vertical cylinder under heat transfer to the surroundings

Unsteady three-dimensional conjugate natural convection in a closed vertical cylinder with a local energy source under convective heat transfer to its surroundings is mathematically modeled in the “vector potential—velocity vorticity—temperature” variables. The temperature and velocity fields, together with the dependences of the mean Nusselt number at the energy source surface on a complex of the governing parameters controlling the formation of different regimes of mass, momentum, and energy transfer, are obtained.     

Temporal development of turbulent boundary layers with embedded streamwise vortices

The interaction of streamwise vortices with turbulent boundary layer has been investigated using large-eddy simulation. The initial conditions are a pair of counterrotating Oseen vortices with flow between them directed toward the wall (common-flow-down), superimposed on various instantaneous realizations of a turbulent boundary layer. The time development of the vortices and their interaction with the boundary layer are studied by integrating the filtered Navier-Stokes equations in time. The most important effects of the vortices on the boundary layer are the thinning of the boundary layer between vortices (downwash region) and the thickening of the boundary layer in the upwash region. The vortices first move toward the wall as a result of the self-induced velocity, and then apart from each other because of the image vortices due to the solid wall. The Reynolds stress profiles highlight the highly three-dimensional structure of the turbulent boundary layer modified by the vortices. The presence of significant turbulent activity near the vortex center and in the upwash region suggests that localized instability mechanisms in addition to the convection of turbulent energy by the secondary flow are responsible for this effect. High levels of turbulent kinetic energy and secondary stresses in the vicinity of the vortex center are also observed. The numerical results show good agreement with experimental results.This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research under Grant N00014-89-J-1638. Computer time was supplied by the San Diego Supercomputing Center.     

Flow field analysis of a turbulent boundary layer over a riblet surface

The near-wall flow structures of a turbulent boundary layer over a riblet surface with semi-circular grooves were investigated experimentally for the cases of drag decreasing (s ⁺=25.2) and drag increasing (s ⁺=40.6). One thousand instantaneous velocity fields over riblets were measured using the velocity field measurement technique and compared with those above a smooth flat plate. The field of view was 6.75 × 6.75 mm² in physical dimension, containing two grooves. Those instantaneous velocity fields were ensemble averaged to get turbulent statistics including turbulent intensities and turbulent kinetic energy. To see the global flow structure qualitatively, flow visualization was also carried out using the synchronized smoke-wire technique under the same experimental conditions. For the case of drag decreasing (s ⁺=25.2), most of the streamwise vortices stay above the riblets, interacting with the riblet tips frequently. The riblet tips impede the spanwise movement of the streamwise vortices and induce secondary vortices. The normalized rms velocity fluctuations and turbulent kinetic energy are small near the riblet surface, compared with those over a smooth flat plate. Inside the riblet valleys, these are sufficiently small that the increased wetted surface area of the riblets can be compensated. In addition, in the outer region (y ⁺ > 30), these values are almost equal to or slightly smaller than those for the smooth plate. For the case of drag increasing (s ⁺=40.6), however, most of the streamwise vortices stay inside the riblet valleys and contact directly with the riblet surface. The high-speed down-wash flow penetrating into the riblet valley interacts actively with the wetted riblet surface and increases the skin friction. The rms velocity fluctuations and turbulent kinetic energy have larger values compared with those over a smooth flat plate. Received: 24 March 1999/Accepted: 10 March 2000     

Large eddy simulations of targeted electromagnetic control of buoyancy-driven turbulent flow in a slender enclosure

We conducted a large eddy simulation (LES) of a locally applied electromagnetic control of turbulent thermal convection of an electrically conductive fluid (electrolyte solution) inside of a slender enclosure. Generic configurations, consisting of two or three magnets of opposite polarities located below the lower wall, and two oppositely charged electrodes along the side walls, are considered. The neutral situation (pure thermal convection) is selected to be in turbulent regime at Ra = 10⁷, Pr = 7. A magnetically extended Smagorinsky type model for the subgrid turbulent stresses and a simple-gradient diffusion model for the subgrid turbulent heat fluxes are used. Different intensities of applied DC current through electrodes are imposed. The effects of the resulting Lorentz force on flow, turbulence reorganisation and wall-heat transfer are analysed. It is demonstrated that significant flow and turbulence structure reorganisation takes place in the proximity of the lower horizontal wall and in the central parts of the enclosure—even for weak DC current of I = 1 A. Significant turbulence increase, generated by the elevated electromagnetic mixing, produced significant enhancements of the wall-heat transfer—up to 70% for the 2-magnet configuration.     

Separation control by vortex generator devices in a transonic channel flow

An experimental study was conducted in a transonic channel to control by mechanical vortex generator devices the strong interaction between a shock wave and a separated turbulent boundary layer. Control devices—co-rotating and counter-rotating vane-type vortex generators—were implemented upstream of the shock foot region and tested both on a steady shock wave and on a forced shock oscillation configurations. The spanwise spacing of vortex generator devices along the channel appeared to be an important parameter to control the flow separation region. When the distance between each device is decreased, the vortices merging is more efficient to reduce the separation. Their placement upstream of the shock wave is determinant to ensure that vortices have mixed momentum all spanwise long before they reach the separation line, so as to avoid separation cells. Then, vortex generators slightly reduced the amplitude of the forced shock wave oscillation by delaying the upstream displacement of the leading shock.     

On the etiology of shear layer vortices

In an effort to isolate the mechanism by which streamwise structures form in turbulent wall layers, evolution equations were derived for the streamwise velocity and vorticity perturbations about a mean turbulent fully developed channel flow. The stability of these equations, which take their most concise form when derived from the Generalized Lagrangian mean equations of Andrews and McIntyre, are studied assuming normal modes and infinitesimal disturbances. The resulting stability diagram yields, inter alia, the spanwise periodicity of the resulting structures, which we term shear layer vortices. If streaks are thought of as the footprints of these vortices, we then have a formal way of determining the spacing of streaks. The first three modes of instability are determined; at the first not just two vortices form per period, but four. It is also evident that an intense local shear layer forms about the plane in which the convection velocity equals the mean Eulerian velocity.Dedicated to Professor J.L. Lumley on the occasion of his 60th birthday.This work was supported in part by the U.S. Office of Naval Research under SRO IV Grant No. N00014-85-K-0172 and in part by the National Science Foundation Grant CTS-9008477.     

Time resolved flow-field measurements of a turbulent mixing layer over a rectangular cavity

High Reynolds number, low Mach number, turbulent shear flow past a rectangular, shallow cavity has been experimentally investigated with the use of dual-camera cinematographic particle image velocimetry (CPIV). The CPIV had a 3 kHz sampling rate, which was sufficient to monitor the time evolution of large-scale vortices as they formed, evolved downstream and impinged on the downstream cavity wall. The time-averaged flow properties (velocity and vorticity fields, streamwise velocity profiles and momentum and vorticity thickness) were in agreement with previous cavity flow studies under similar operating conditions. The time-resolved results show that the separated shear layer quickly rolled-up and formed eddies immediately downstream of the separation point. The vortices convect downstream at approximately half the free-stream speed. Vorticity strength intermittency as the structures approach the downstream edge suggests an increase in the three-dimensionality of the flow. Time-resolved correlations reveal that the in-plane coherence of the vortices decays within 2–3 structure diameters, and quasi-periodic flow features are present with a vortex passage frequency of ~1 kHz. The power spectra of the vertical velocity fluctuations within the shear layer revealed a peak at a non-dimensional frequency corresponding to that predicted using linear, inviscid instability theory.     

Dynamics of hairpin vortices generated by a mixing tab in a channel flow

To better understand mixing by hairpin vortices, time-series particle image velocimetry (PIV) was applied to the wake of a trapezoidal-shaped passive mixing tab mounted at the bottom of a square turbulent channel (Re _h =2,080 based on the tab height). Instantaneous velocity/vorticity fields were obtained in sequences of 10 Hz in the tab wake in the center plane (x–y) and in a plane (x–z) parallel to the wall. Periodically-shed hairpin vortices were clearly identified and seen to rise as they advected downstream. Experimental evidence shows that the vortex-induced ejection of the near-wall viscous fluid to the immediate upstream is important to the dynamics of hairpin vortices. It can increase the strength of the hairpin vortices in the near tab region and cause generation of secondary hairpin vortices further downstream when the hairpin heads are farther away from the wall. Measurements also reveal the existence of a type of new secondary vortice with the opposite-sign spanwise vorticity. The distribution of vortex loci in the x–y plane shows that the hairpin vortices and the reverse vortices are spatially segregated in distinct layers. Turbulence statistics, including mean velocity profiles, Reynolds stresses, and turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate distributions, were obtained from the PIV data. These statistical quantities clearly reveal imprints of the identified vortex structures and provide insight into mixing effectiveness. Received: 24 February 2000/Accepted: 24 October 2000     

Space-time velocity correlations in the impeller stream of a Rushton turbine

 Simultaneous velocity measurements at two points have been carried out with a two-component laser Doppler velocimeter in order to characterise the turbulence along the impeller stream of a Rushton turbine in a water tank. In addition to mean values of the velocity and its fluctuations, space–time correlations have been studied to enable the determination of the convection velocity as well as of the scales of the turbulent structures and to investigate the validity of Taylor’s hypothesis. A correction to the relationship between space and time correlations is proposed. Received: 22 March 1996/Accepted: 23 April 1997     

An experimental study on turbulent coherent structures near a sheared air-water interface

The turbulence structures near a sheared air-water interface were experimentally investigated with the hydrogen bubble visualization technique. Surface shear was imposed by an airflow over the water flow which was kept free from surface waves. Results show that the wind shear has the main influence on coherent structures under air-water interfaces. Low- and high- speed streaks form in the region close to the interface as a result of the imposed shear stress. When a certain airflow velocity is reached, “turbulent spots” appear randomly at low-speed streaks with some characteristics of hairpin vortices. At even higher shear rates, the flow near the interface is dominated primarily by intermittent bursting events. The coherent structures observed near sheared air-water interfaces show qualitative similarities with those occurring in near-wall turbulence. However, a few distinctive phenomena were also observed, including the fluctuating thickness of the instantaneous boundary layer and vertical vortices in bursting processes, which appear to be associated with the characteristics of air-water interfaces. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.19672070)     

Numerical investigation of a spatially developing turbulent natural convection boundary layer along a vertical heated plate

Large-eddy simulation (LES) on a spatially developing natural convection boundary layer along a vertical heated plate was conducted. The heat transfer rate, friction velocity, mean velocity and temperature, and second-order turbulent properties both in the wall-normal and the stream-wise direction showed reasonable agreement with the findings of past experiments. The spectrum of velocity and temperature fluctuation showed a -2/3-power decay slope and -2-power decay slope respectively. Quadrant analysis revealed the inclination on Q1 and Q3 in the Reynolds stress and turbulent heat flux, changing their contribution along the distance from the plate surface. Following the convention, we defined the threshold region where the stream-wise mean velocity takes local maximum, the inner layer which is closer to the plate than the threshold region, the outer layer which is farther to the plate than the threshold region. The space correlation of stream-wise velocity tilted the head toward the wall in the propagating direction in the outer layer; on the other hand, the correlated motion had little inclination in the threshold region. The time history of the second invariant of gradient tensor Q revealed that the vortex strength oscillates both in the inner and the outer layers in between the laminar and the transition region. In the turbulent region, the vortex was often dominant in the outer layer. Instantaneous three-dimensional visualization of Q revealed the existence of high-speed fluid parcels associated with arch-shape vortices. These results were considered as an intrinsic structure in the outer layer, which is symmetrical to the structure of canonical smooth/rough wall bounded layer flow in forced convection.     

Measurement of spectrum with particle image velocimetry

The purpose of this paper is to show that the measurement of turbulent spectrum using wholefield velocity techniques such as particle image velocimetry (PIV) is possible. Toward this end, data from the axial plane of a self-similar turbulent axisymmetric jet, at a Reynolds number, based on Taylor microscale of 30 has been analyzed. The two-dimensional velocity data are first high-pass filtered, which educes the vortices. An automated method is then used to identify the vortices and measure their properties. By directly measuring the energy of the vortices, it is possible to plot the turbulence spectrum. The spectrum presented here shows the presence of energy containing and inertial regimes. However, the smallest scales have not been resolved in the measurements. The slope of the spectrum in the inertial subrange is about −1.6. The number of vortices in the two regimes have also been measured. The number of vortices in the energy containing regime is substantially smaller than those in the inertial subrange. The technique has been verified by analyzing another dataset. These results show that the direct measurement of vortex properties with reasonable confidence is possible using PIV and an appropriate vortex eduction technique.     

Numerical simulation of 3-D turbulent flows over dredged trenches

A 3-D free surface flow in open channels based on the Reynolds equations with thek-ε turbulence closure model is presented in this paper. Insted of the “rigid lid” approximation, the solution of the free surface equation is implemented in the velocity—pressure iterative procedure on the basis of the conventional SIMPLE method. This model was used to compute the flow in rectangular channels with trenches dredged across the bottom. The velocity, eddy viscosity coefficient, turbulent shear stress, turbulent kinetic energy and elevation of the free surface can be obtained. The computed results are in good agreement with previous experimental data.     

Microscopic particle image velocimetry measurements of transition to turbulence in microscale capillaries

The character of transitional capillary flow is investigated using pressure-drop measurements and instantaneous velocity fields acquired by microscopic PIV in the streamwise–wall-normal plane of a 536 μm capillary over the Reynolds-number range 1,800 ≤ Re ≤ 3,400 in increments of 100. The pressure-drop measurements reveal a deviation from laminar behavior at Re = 1,900 with the differences between the measured and the predicted laminar-flow pressure drop increasing with increasing Re. These observations are consistent with the characteristics of the mean velocity profiles which begin to deviate from the parabolic laminar profile at Re = 1,900, interpreted as the onset of transition, by becoming increasingly flatter and fuller with increasing Re. A fully-turbulent state is attained at Re ≅ 3,400 where the mean velocity profile collapses onto the mean profile of fully-developed turbulent pipe flow from an existing direct numerical simulation at Re = 5,300. Examination of the instantaneous velocity fields acquired by micro-PIV in the range 1,900 ≤ Re < 3,400 reveal that transitional flows at the microscale are composed of a subset of velocity fields illustrating a purely laminar behavior and a subset of fields that capture significant departure from laminar behavior. The fraction of velocity fields displaying non-laminar behavior increases with increasing Re, consistent with past observations of a growing number of intermittent turbulent spots bounded by nominally laminar flow in macroscale pipe flow with increasing Re. Instantaneous velocity fields that are non-laminar in character consistently contain multiple spanwise vortices that appear to streamwise-align to form larger-scale interfaces that incline slightly away from the wall. The characteristics of these “trains” of vortices are reminiscent of the spatial features of hairpin-like vortices and hairpin vortex packets often observed in fully-turbulent wall-bounded flow at both the macro- and micro-scales. Finally, single-point statistics computed from the non-laminar subsets at each transitional Re, including root-mean-square velocities and the Reynolds shear stress, reveal a gradual and smooth maturation of the patches of disordered motion toward a fully-turbulent state with increasing Re.     

Shock propagation in regular wetted arrays of fibers

We present results of shock propagation in a wetted foam modeled as a regular staggered row lattice of parallel cylinders in two-dimensions immersed in a background of different density. Both media are perfect mono-atomic gases. We show that shock velocity increases due to the heterogeneity of wetted foams in comparison to the velocity of shock in a homogeneous medium with the same average density. The post-shock medium is characterized by turbulence and multiple vortices. Destructive or constructive interactions between vortices appear in the downstream fluid depending on the fiber alignment. We show that the shock velocity increase is related to the kinetic energy stored in the downstream fluid in the turbulence and the vortices. A turbulent model is used to analytically relate the turbulent kinetic energy to the shock velocity increase.     

On diffusion velocity and the mass conservation equation for components

The mass migration velocity(absolute velocity)of component i in a multicomponent flow is equal to the convection velocity(frame velocity)plus the diffusion velocity(relativevelocity).The diffusion velocity as well as the corresponding diffusion coefficient depends on how the convection velocity is adopted.In turbulent flow,the mass migration velocity of component i is(?)(mass-weighted time average velocity).The diffusion velocity(-a)consists of turbulent diffusionvelocity(?)and molecular diffusion velocity(?)(?is the simple time average velocity of component i and a is a certain convection velocity).So,the part of turbulent diffusion velocity is independent of what convection velocity is taken.In the mass conservation equation for component i,the expression for the diffusion term on its right-hand side will change when the convection velocity on its left-hand side changes.In turbulent flow,there could be no diffusion terms,or a turbulent diffusion term only,or both the turbulent and molecular diffusion     

Characteristics of air and water velocity fields during natural convection

Air and water velocity fields have been simulated during natural convection, using a two-dimensional volume of fluid (VOF) model. The results have shown that during unstable thermal stratification, the root-mean-square (RMS) airside velocities are an order of magnitude higher than the RMS waterside velocities, whereas, during the stable thermal stratification, the velocity magnitudes are comparable for air and water sides. Furthermore, the magnitude of the air velocity changed more rapidly with the change in the bulk air–water temperature difference than the water velocity, indicating that the air velocities are more sensitive to the bulk air and water temperature difference than the water velocities. A physical model of the heat and mass transfer across the air–water interface is defined. According to this model, the vortices on the air and water sides play an important role in enhancing the heat and mass transfer. Due to the significance of the flow velocities in the transport process, it has been proposed that the correlations for the heat and mass transfer during natural convection should be improved by incorporating the flow velocity as a parameter.