Prediction of separation flows around a 6：1 prolate spheroid using RANS/LES hybrid approaches

This paper presents hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) and large-eddy-simulation (LES) methods for the separated flows at high angles of attack around a 6:1 prolate spheroid. The RANS/LES hybrid methods studied in this work include the detached eddy simulation (DES) based on Spalart–Allmaras (S–A), Menter’s k–ω shear-stress-transport (SST) and k–ω with weakly nonlinear eddy viscosity formulation (Wilcox–Durbin+, WD+) models and the zonal-RANS/LES methods based on the SST and WD+ models. The switch from RANS near the wall to LES in the core flow region is smooth through the implementation of a flow-dependent blending function for the zonal hybrid method. All the hybrid methods are designed to have a RANS mode for the attached flows and have a LES behavior for the separated flows. The main objective of this paper is to apply the hybrid methods for the high Reynolds number separated flows around prolate spheroid at high-incidences. A fourth-order central scheme with fourth-order artificial viscosity is applied for spatial differencing. The fully implicit lower–upper symmetric-Gauss–Seidel with pseudo time sub-iteration is taken as the temporal differentiation. Comparisons with available measurements are carried out for pressure distribution, skin friction, and profiles of velocity, etc. Reasonable agreement with the experiments, accounting for the effect on grids and fundamental turbulence models, is obtained for the separation flows. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10502030 and 90505005).     

Flow of electrolytes in a porous medium

A two-scale model of ion transfer in a porous medium is obtained for one-dimensional horizontal flows under the action of a pressure gradient and an external electric field by the method of homogenization. Steady equations of electroosmotic flows in flat horizontal nano-sized slits separated by thin dielectric partitions are averaged over a small-scale variable. The resultant macroequations include Poisson’s equation for the vertical component of the electric field and Onsager’s relations between flows and forces. The total horizontal flow rate of the fluid is found to depend linearly on the pressure gradient and external electric field, and the coefficients in this linear relation are calculated with the use of microequations. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 162–173, July–August, 2008.     

Skin friction topology in a region enclosed by penetrable boundary

High-resolution skin friction fields in separated flows on a low-aspect-ratio rectangular wing are obtained by using quantitative global skin friction diagnostics based on surface luminescent oil visualizations. The topological features like the isolated singular points and the boundary switch points in regions enclosed by penetrable boundaries are identified. The conservation law given by the Poincare–Bendixson index formula for the numbers of the isolated singular points and the boundary switch points is used as a general approach to analyze the topological structure of a skin friction field in a singly connected region enclosed by a penetrable boundary in the separated flows.     

Calculation of stagnation streamline quantities in hypersonic blunt body flows

An approximate method for the efficient calculation of stagnation-streamline quantities in hypersonic flows about spheres or cylinders is suggested. Based on the local similarity of the flow field the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are simplified to a one-dimensional approximation for the stagnation streamline. These equations are solved with an implicit finite-volume scheme. Comparisons with fully two–dimensional Euler and Navier–Stokes calculations for flows about spheres are presented, that include perfect gas flows and flows in chemical non-equilibrium. Comparisons with a number of experiments conclude this report. Received 8 May 1996 / Accepted 31 October 1996     

Combined Forced and Free Convective Flow in a Vertical Porous Channel: The Effects of Viscous Dissipation and Pressure Work

Buoyant flow is analysed for a vertical fluid saturated porous layer bounded by an isothermal plane and an isoflux plane in the case of a fully developed flow with a parallel velocity field. The effects of viscous dissipation and pressure work are taken into account in the framework of the Oberbeck–Boussinesq approximation scheme and of the Darcy flow model. Momentum and energy balances are combined in a dimensionless nonlinear ordinary differential equation solved numerically by a Runge–Kutta method. Both cases of upward pressure force (upward driven flows) and of downward pressure force (downward driven flows) are examined. The thermal behaviour for upward driven flows and downward driven flows is quite different. For upward driven flows, the combined effects of viscous dissipation and pressure work may produce a net cooling of the fluid even in the case of a positive heat input from the isoflux wall. For downward driven flows, viscous dissipation and pressure work yield a net heating of the fluid. A general reflection on the roles played by the effects of viscous dissipation and pressure work with respect to the Oberbeck–Boussinesq approximation is proposed.     

Efficient Generation of Inflow Conditions for Large Eddy Simulation of Street-Scale Flows

Using a numerical weather forecasting code to provide the dynamic large-scale inlet boundary conditions for the computation of small-scale urban canopy flows requires a continuous specification of appropriate inlet turbulence. For such computations to be practical, a very efficient method of generating such turbulence is needed. Correlation functions of typical turbulent shear flows have forms not too dissimilar to decaying exponentials. A digital-filter-based generation of turbulent inflow conditions exploiting this fact is presented as a suitable technique for large eddy simulations computation of spatially developing flows. The artificially generated turbulent inflows satisfy the prescribed integral length scales and Reynolds-stress-tensor. The method is much more efficient than, for example, Klein’s (J Comp Phys 186:652–665, 2003) or Kempf et al.’s (Flow Turbulence Combust, 74:67–84, 2005) methods because at every time step only one set of two-dimensional (rather than three-dimensional) random data is filtered to generate a set of two-dimensional data with the appropriate spatial correlations. These data are correlated with the data from the previous time step by using an exponential function based on two weight factors. The method is validated by simulating plane channel flows with smooth walls and flows over arrays of staggered cubes (a generic urban-type flow). Mean velocities, the Reynolds-stress-tensor and spectra are all shown to be comparable with those obtained using classical inlet-outlet periodic boundary conditions. Confidence has been gained in using this method to couple weather scale flows and street scale computations.     

Asymptotic Behavior of Solutions to the Compressible Navier–Stokes Equation Around a Parallel Flow

The initial boundary value problem for the compressible Navier–Stokes equation is considered in an infinite layer of . It is proved that if the Reynolds and Mach numbers are sufficiently small, then strong solutions to the compressible Navier–Stokes equation around parallel flows exist globally in time for sufficiently small initial perturbations. The large time behavior of the solution is described by a solution of a one-dimensional viscous Burgers equation. The proof is given by a combination of spectral analysis of the linearized operator and a variant of the Matsumura–Nishida energy method.     

Possibilities and Limitations of Computer Simulations of Industrial Turbulent Dispersed Multiphase Flows

We give an overview on the usage of computer simulations in industrial turbulent dispersed multiphase flows. We present a few examples of industrial flows: bubble columns and bubbly pipe flows, stirred tanks, cyclones, and a fluid catalytic cracking unit. The fluid catalytic cracking unit is used to illustrate the complexity of the physical phenomena involved, and the possibilities and limitations of the different approaches used: Eulerian–Lagrangian (particle-tracking) and Eulerian–Eulerian (two-fluid). In the first approach, the continuous phase is solved using either RANS simulations (Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes simulations) or DNS/LES (Direct Numerical Simulations/Large-Eddy Simulations), and the individual particles are tracked. In the second approach, the dispersed phase is averaged, leading to two sets equations, which are quite similar to the RANS equations of single-phase flows. The Eulerian–Eulerian approach is the most commonly used in industrial applications, however, it requires a significant amount of modelling. Eulerian–Lagrangian RANS can be simpler to use; in particular in situations involving complex boundary conditions, polydisperse flows and agglomeration/breakup. The key issue for the success of the simulations is to have good models for the complex physics involved. A major weakness is the lack of good models for: the turbulence modification promoted by the particles, the inter-particle interactions, and the near-wall effects. Eulerian–Lagrangian DNS/LES can play an important role as a research tool, in order to get a better physical understanding, and to improve the models used in the RANS simulations (either Eulerian–Eulerian or Eulerian–Lagrangian).     

Properties of hypersonic separated flows at moderate reynolds numbers

The hypersonic rarefied flow past a flat plate with a transverse barrier and past a plate with a bend in the generator (a compression angle) is studied at Reynolds numbers Re≤10⁴. Direct statistical modeling (Monte Carlo method) is used to investigate the characteristics of the separated flow formed on the plate as a function of the Reynolds number, the surface temperature, the barrier dimensions, and the internal degrees of freedom of the molecules. The results obtained are compared with those for analogous high-Re flows. The possibility of using the similarity criteria derived for the continuum flow regime is considered. Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 134–144, January–February, 2000. The study was carried out with the support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project No. 97-01-00577) and the Program of State Support for Leading Scientific Schools (grant No. 96-15-9606).     

Turbulence kinetic energy budget in bubbly flows in a vertical duct

Understanding turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) budget in gas–liquid two-phase bubbly flows is indispensable to develop and improve turbulence models for the bubbly flows. In this study, a molecular tagging velocimetry based on photobleaching reaction was applied to turbulent bubbly flows with sub-millimeter bubbles in a vertical square duct to examine the applicability of the k–ε models to the bubbly flows. Effects of bubbles on TKE budget are discussed and a priori tests of the standard and low Reynolds number k–ε models are carried out to examine the applicability of these models to the bubbly flows. The conclusions obtained are as follows: (1) The photobleaching molecular tagging velocimetry is of use for validating turbulence models. (2) The bubbles increase the liquid velocity gradient in the near wall region, and therefore, enhance the production and dissipation rates of TKE. (3) The k–ε models can reasonably evaluate the production rate of TKE in the bubbly flows. (4) The modulations of diffusion due to the bubbles have different characteristics from the diffusion enhancement due to shear-induced turbulence. Hence, the k–ε models fail in evaluating the diffusion rate in the near wall region in the bubbly flows. (5) The k–ε models represent the trends of the production, dissipation, and diffusion rates of ε in the bubbly flow, although more accurate experimental data are required for quantitative validation of the ε equation.     

Ionic strontium fluorescence as a method for flow tagging velocimetry

A flow tagging technique based upon ionic fluorescence in strontium is investigated for applications to velocity measurements in gas flows. The method is based upon a combination of two laser based spectroscopic techniques, i.e. resonantly-enhanced ionisation and laser-induced ionic fluorescence. Strontium is first ionised and then planar laser-induced fluorescence is utilised to give 2D `bright images' of the ionised region of the flow at a given time delay. The results show that this method can be used for velocity measurements. The velocities were measured in two types of air–acetylene flames – a slot burner and a circular burner yielding velocities of 5.1 ± 0.1 m/s and 9.3 ± 0.2 m/s, respectively. The feasibility of the method for the determination of velocities in faster flows than those investigated here is discussed. Received: 5 November 1998/Accepted: 19 January 2000     

LES Study of Turbulent Boundary Layer Over a Smooth and a Rough 2D Hill Model

Large eddy simulation (LES) is carried out to investigate the turbulent boundary-layer flows over a hill-shaped model with a steep or relatively moderate slope at moderately high Reynolds numbers (Re = O(10³)) defined by the hill height and the velocity at the hill height. The study focuses on the effects of surface roughness and curvature. For Sub-grid Scale (SGS) modeling of LES, both the dynamic Smagorinsky model (DSM) and the dynamic mixed model (DMM) are applied. The behavior of the separated shear layer and the vortex motion are affected by the oncoming turbulence, such that the shear layer comes close to the ground surface, or the size of a separation region becomes small because of the earlier instability of the separated shear layer. Appropriate measures are required to generate the inflow turbulence. The methods of Lund et al. (J. Comput. Phys., 140:233–258, 1998) and Nozawa and Tamura (J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn., 90:1151–1162, 2002; The 4th European and African Conference on Wind Engineering, 1–6, 2005) are employed to simulate the smooth- and rough-wall turbulent boundary layers in order to generate time-sequential data of inflow turbulence. This paper discusses the unsteady phenomena of the wake flows over the smooth and rough 2D hill-shaped obstacles and aims to clarify the roughness effects on the flow patterns and the turbulence statistics distorted by the hill. Numerical validation is conducted by comparing the simulation results with wind tunnel experiment data for the same hill shape at almost the same Re. The applicability of DSM and DMM are discussed, focusing on the recirculation region behind a steep hill.     

Strong discontinuities in spatial stationary long-wave flows of an ideal incompressible fluid

Spatial stationary flows over an even bottom of a heavy ideal fluid with a free surface are considered. Jump relations for flows with a strong discontinuity are studied. It is shown that the flow parameters behind the jump are defined by a certain curve which is an analog of the (θ, p) diagram in gas dynamics. A shock polar and examples of flows with a hydraulic jump are constructed for a particular class of solutions. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 37–45, March–April, 2009.     

Assessing the Role of Curvature Effects in the Representation of Anisotropy Transport in Algebraic Reynolds-Stress Modelling Applied to Separated Flow

A “curvature correction”, in the sense used herein, is model fragment that is intended to account for some proportion of the error that is introduced into explicit algebraic Reynolds-stress models as a consequence of ignoring the convective transport of stress anisotropy within a framework in which the velocity vector and stress tensor are represented in terms of Cartesian components in highly-curved flow conditions. The present paper examines the ability of such corrections to represent this error, based on a-priori investigations of representative 2-D and 3-D massively separated flows for which the ‘exact’ level of the stress transport is known. In essence, the corrections reflect the assumption that the convection of the Reynolds-stress components, or the associated strain-tensor components, expressed in terms of curvature-oriented coordinates, is negligible. The analysis shows, first, that in general recirculating flows, the contribution of anisotropy transport to the stress balance is generally small, so that any form of related correction is of little consequence. Second, the variants of curvature correction examined correlate poorly with the real anisotropy convection. Thus, while these curvature corrections are useful in very particular conditions, such as flow in highly-curved ducts, they are not generality effective – indeed, possibly counterproductive – and cannot be recommended for inclusion in general numerical schemes.     

Wall Effect on the Convective–Absolute Boundary for the Compressible Shear Layer

The linear stability of inviscid compressible shear layers is studied. When the layer develops at the vicinity of a wall, the two parallel flows can have a velocity of the same sign or of opposite signs. This situation is examined in order to obtain first hints on the stability of separated flows in the compressible regime. The shear layer is described by a hyperbolic tangent profile for the velocity component and the Crocco relation for the temperature profile. Gravity effects and the superficial tension are neglected. By examining the temporal growth rate at the saddle point in the wave-number space, the flow is characterized as being either absolutely unstable or convectively unstable. This study principally shows the effect of the wall on the convective–absolute transition in compressible shear flow. Results are presented, showing the amount of the backflow necessary to have this type of transition for a range of primary flow Mach numbers M ₁ up to 3.0. The boundary of the convective–absolute transition is defined as a function of the velocity ratio, the temperature ratio and the Mach number. Unstable solutions are calculated for both streamwise and oblique disturbances in the shear layer. Received 9 May 2001 and accepted 21 August 2001     

Calculation of the permeability and apparent permeability of three-dimensional porous media

In this study, creeping and inertial incompressible fluid flows through three-dimensional porous media are considered, and an analytical–numerical approach is employed to calculate the associated permeability and apparent permeability. The multiscale homogenization method for periodic structures is applied to the Stokes and Navier–Stokes equations (aided by a control-volume type argument in the latter case), to derive the appropriate cell problems and effective properties. Numerical solutions are then obtained through Galerkin finite-element formulations. The implementations are validated, and results are presented for flows through cubic lattices of cylinders, and through the dendritic zone found at the solid–liquid interface during solidification of metals. For the interdendritic flow problem, a geometric configuration for the periodic cell is built by the approximate matching of experimental and numerical results for the creeping-flow problem; inertial effects are then quantified upon solution of the inertial-flow problem. Finally, the functional behavior of the apparent permeability results is analyzed in the light of existing macroscopic seepage laws. The findings contribute to the (numerical) verification of the validity of such laws.     

Simulation of bluff body stabilized flows with hybrid RANS and PDF method

The motivation of this study is to investigate the turbulence–chemistry interactions by using probability density function (PDF) method. A consistent hybrid Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS)/PDF method is used to simulate the turbulent non-reacting and reacting flows. The joint fluctuating velocity–frequency–composition PDF equation coupled with the Reynolds averaged density, momentum and energy equations are solved on unstructured meshes by the Lagrangian Monte Carlo (MC) method combined with the finite volume (FV) method. The simulation of the axisymmetric bluff body stabilized non-reacting flow fields is presented in this paper. The calculated length of the recirculation zone is in good agreement with the experimental data. Moreover, the significant change of the flow pattern with the increase of the jet-to-coflow momentum flux ratio is well predicted. In addition, comparisons are made between the joint PDF model and two different Reynolds stress models. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (50506028), and Action Scheme for Invigorating Education Towards the twenty-first century.     

A Comparison Principle for Hamilton–Jacobi Equations Related to Controlled Gradient Flows in Infinite Dimensions

We develop new comparison principles for viscosity solutions of Hamilton–Jacobi equations associated with controlled gradient flows in function spaces as well as the space of probability measures. Our examples are optimal control of Ginzburg–Landau and Fokker–Planck equations. They arise in limit considerations of externally forced non-equilibrium statistical mechanics models, or through the large deviation principle for interacting particle systems. Our approach is based on two key ingredients: an appropriate choice of geometric structure defining the gradient flow, and a free energy inequality resulting from such gradient flow structure. The approach allows us to handle Hamiltonians with singular state dependency in the nonlinear term, as well as Hamiltonians with a state space which does not satisfy the Radon–Nikodym property. In the case where the state space is a Hilbert space, the method simplifies existing theories by avoiding the perturbed optimization principle.     

On a Generalized Nonlinear K–ε Model and the Use of Extended Thermodynamics in Turbulence

A resent extension of the nonlinear K–ε model is critically discussed from a basic theoretical standpoint. While it was said in the paper that this model was formulated to incorporate relaxation effects, it will be shown that the model is incapable of describing one of the most basic such turbulent flows as is obvious but is described for clarity. It will be shown in detail that this generalized nonlinear K–ε model yields erroneous results for the Reynolds stress tensor when the mean strains are set to zero in a turbulent flow – the return-to-isotropy problem which is one of the most elementary relaxational turbulent flows. It is clear that K–ε type models cannot describe relaxation effects. While their general formalism can describe relaxation effects, the nonlinear K–ε model – which the paper is centered on – cannot. The deviatoric part of the Reynolds stress tensor is predicted to be zero when it actually only gradually relaxes to zero. Since this model was formulated by using the extended thermodynamics, it too will be critically assessed. It will be argued that there is an unsubstantial physical basis for the use of extended thermodynamics in turbulence. The role of Material Frame-Indifference and the implications for future research in turbulence modeling are also discussed. Received 19 February 1998 and accepted 23 October 1998     

Interaction of shear flows of an ideal incompressible fluid in a channel

The problem of the decay of an arbitrary discontinuity for the equations describing plane-parallel shear flows of an ideal fluid in a narrow channel is considered. The class of particular solutions corresponding to fluid flows with piecewise constant vorticity is studied. In this class, the existence of self-similar solutions describing all possible unsteady wave configurations resulting from the nonlinear interaction of the specified shear flows is established. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 47, No. 6, pp. 34–47, November–December, 2006.