Nearly singular two-dimensional Kolmogorov flows for large Reynolds numbers

We study the convergence of two-dimensional stationary Kolmogorov flows as the Reynolds number increases to infinity. Since the flows considered are stationary solutions of Navier-Stokes equations, they are smooth whatever the Reynolds number may be. However, in the limit of an infinite Reynolds number, they can, at least theoretically, converge to a nonsmooth function. Through numerical experiments, we show that, under a certain condition, some smooth solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations converge to a nonsmooth solution of the Euler equations and develop internal layers. Therefore the Navier-Stokes flows are nearly singular for large Reynolds numbers. In view of this nearly singular solution, we propose a possible scenario of turbulence, which is of an intermediate nature between Leray's and Ruelle-Taken's scenarios.     

Existence and Stability of Asymmetric Burgers Vortices

Burgers vortices are stationary solutions of the three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations in the presence of a background straining flow. These solutions are given by explicit formulas only when the strain is axisymmetric. In this paper we consider a weakly asymmetric strain and prove in that case that non-axisymmetric vortices exist for all values of the Reynolds number. In the limit of large Reynolds numbers, we recover the asymptotic results of Moffatt, Kida & Ohkitani [11]. We also show that the asymmetric vortices are stable with respect to localized two-dimensional perturbations.     

Well-Posedness of Boundary Layer Equations for Time-Dependent Flow of Non-Newtonian Fluids

We consider the flow of an upper convected Maxwell fluid in the limit of high Weissenberg and Reynolds number. In this limit, the no-slip condition cannot be imposed on the solutions. We derive equations for the resulting boundary layer and prove the well-posedness of these equations. A transformation to Lagrangian coordinates is crucial in the argument.     

Properties and Averaged Equations for Flows of Bubbly Liquids

Averaged properties of bubbly liquids in the limit of large Reynolds and small Weber numbers are determined as functions of the volume fraction, mean relative velocity, and velocity variance of the bubbles using numerical simulations and a pair interaction theory. The results of simulations are combined with those obtained recently for sheared bubbly liquids [19] and the mixture momentum and continuity equations to propose a complete set of averaged equations and closure relations for the flows of bubbly liquids at large Reynolds and small Weber numbers.     

Lower-Dimensional Manifold (Algebraic) Representation of Reynolds Stress Closure Equations

For complex turbulent flows, Reynolds stress closure modeling (RSCM) is the lowest level at which models can be developed with some fidelity to the governing Navier–Stokes equations. Citing computational burden, researchers have long sought to reduce the seven-equation RSCM to the so-called algebraic Reynolds stress model which involves solving only two evolution equations for turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation. In the past, reduction has been accomplished successfully in the weak-equilibrium limit of turbulence. In non-equilibrium turbulence, attempts at reduction have lacked mathematical rigor and have been based on ad hoc hypotheses resulting in less than adequate models.?In this work we undertake a formal (numerical) examination of the dynamical system of equations that constitute the Reynolds stress closure model to investigate the following questions. (i) When does the RSCM equation system formally permit reduced representation? (ii) What is the dimensionality (number of independent variables) of the permitted reduced system? (iii) How can one derive the reduced system (algebraic Reynolds stress model) from the full RSCM equations? Our analysis reveals that a lower-dimensional representation of the RSCM equations is possible not only in the equilibrium limit, but also in the slow-manifold stage of non-equilibrium turbulence. The degree of reduction depends on the type of mean-flow deformation and state of turbulence. We further develop two novel methods for deriving algebraic Reynolds stress models from RSCM equations in non-equilibrium turbulence. The present work is expected to play an important role in bringing much of the sophistication of the RSCM into the realm of two-equation algebraic Reynolds stress models. Another objective of this work is to place the other algebraic stress modeling efforts in the lower-dimensional modeling context. Received 19 November 1999 and accepted 3 August 2000     

On the stability of plane parallel viscoelastic shear flows in the limit of infinite Weissenberg and Reynolds numbers

Elastic effects on the hydrodynamic instability of inviscid parallel shear flows are investigated through a linear stability analysis. We focus on the upper convected Maxwell model in the limit of infinite Weissenberg and Reynolds numbers. We study the effects of elasticity on the instability of a few classes of simple parallel flows, specifically plane Poiseuille and Couette flows, the hyperbolic-tangent shear layer and the Bickley jet.The equation for stability is derived and solved numerically using the spectral Chebyshev collocation method. This algorithm is computationally efficient and accurate in reproducing the eigenvalues. We consider flows bounded by walls as well as flows bounded by free surfaces. In the inviscid, nonelastic case all the flows we study are unstable for free surfaces. In the case of wall bounded flow, there are instabilities in the shear layer and Bickley jet flows. In all cases, the effect of elasticity is to reduce and ultimately suppress the inviscid instability.     

Nonlinear Wave Motions in Stratified Boundary Layers

We consider nonlinear wave motions in strongly buoyant mixed forced–free convection boundary layer flows. In the natural limit of large Reynolds number the nonlinear evolution of a single monochromatic wave mode is shown to be governed by a novel wave/mean-flow interaction in which the wave amplitude and the wave induced mean-flow are of comparable size. A nonlinear integral equation describing the bifurcation to finite-amplitude travelling wave solutions is derived. Solutions of this equation are presented together with a discussion of their physical significance. Received 10 December 1996 and accepted 14 April 1997     

Three-Dimensional Instability of Planar Flows

We study the stability of two-dimensional solutions of the three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations, in the limit of small viscosity. We are interested in steady flows with locally closed streamlines. We consider the so-called elliptic and centrifugal instabilities, which correspond to the continuous spectrum of the underlying linearized Euler operator. Through the justification of highly oscillating Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin expansions, we prove the nonlinear instability of such flows. The main difficulty is the control of nonoscillating and nonlocal perturbations issued from quadratic interactions.     

On the flow of a viscous fluid driven along a channel by suction at porous walls

This paper is a theoretical treatment of the flow of a viscous incompressible fluid driven along a channel by steady uniform suction through porous parallel rigid walls. Many authors have found such flows when they are symmetric, steady and two-dimensional, by assuming a similarity form of solution due to Berman in order to reduce the Navier-Stokes equations to a nonlinear ordinary differential equation. We generalise their work by considering asymmetric flows, unsteady flows and three-dimensional perturbations. By use of numerical calculations, matched asymptotic expansions for large values of the Reynolds number, and the theory of dynamical systems, we find many more exact solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations, examine their stability, and interpret them. In particular, we show that most previously found steady solutions are unstable to antisymmetric two-dimensional disturbances. This leads to a pitchfork bifurcation, stable asymmetric steady solutions, a Hopf bifurcation, stable time-periodic solutions, stable quasi-periodic solutions, phase locking and chaos in succession as the Reynolds number increases.     

A case of strong nonlinearity: Intermittency in highly turbulent flows

It has long been suspected that flows of incompressible fluids at large or infinite Reynolds number (namely at small or zero viscosity) may present finite time singularities. We review briefly the theoretical situation on this point. We discuss the effect of a small viscosity on the self-similar solution to the Euler equations for inviscid fluids. Then we show that single-point records of velocity fluctuations in the Modane wind tunnel display correlations between large velocities and large accelerations in full agreement with scaling laws derived from Leray's equations (1934) for self-similar singular solutions to the fluid equations. Conversely, those experimental velocity–acceleration correlations are contradictory to the Kolmogorov scaling laws.     

Instabilities of nonuniform flows of acoustically active media

The analytic methods and results of investigating the acoustic instability of nonuniform steady channel flows are reviewed. The study is based on the system of equations describing the motion of an electrically conducting gas at low magnetic Reynolds numbers [25]. This makes it possible to consider the acoustic effects in plasma and nonconducting gas flows within the framework of a unified approach.Based on paper presented to the fluid mechanics sections of the Seventh Congress on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Moscow, August 1991.Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No.5, pp. 31–46, September–October, 1992.     

Optimal shape design for the time‐dependent Navier–Stokes flow

This paper is concerned with the problem of shape optimization of two‐dimensional flows governed by the time‐dependent Navier–Stokes equations. We derive the structures of shape gradients for time‐dependent cost functionals by using the state derivative and its associated adjoint state. Finally, we apply a gradient‐type algorithm to our problem, and numerical examples show that our theory is useful for practical purposes and the proposed algorithm is feasible in low Reynolds number flows. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of a Modified Reynolds Stress Model for Turbulent Dispersed Two-Phase Flows Including Two-Way Coupling

A modified Reynolds stress turbulence model for the pressure rate of strain can be derived for dispersed two-phase flows taking into account gas-particle interaction. The transport equations for the Reynolds stresses as well as the equation for the fluctuating pressure can be derived starting from the multiphase Navier–Stokes equations. The unknown pressure rate of strain correlation in the Reynolds stress equations is then modelled by considering the multiphase equation for the fluctuating pressure. This leads to a multiphase pressure rate of strain model. The extra particle interaction source terms occurring in the model for the pressure rate of strain can be constructed easily, with no noticeable extra computational cost. Eulerian–Lagrangian simulation results of a turbulent dispersed two-phase jet are presented to show the differences in results with and without the new two-way coupling terms.     

Toward a Turbulence Constitutive Relation for Geophysical Flows

Rapidly rotating turbulent flows are frequently in approximate geostrophic balance. Single-point turbulence closures, in general, are not consistent with a geostrophic balance. This article addresses and resolves the possibility of a constitutive relation for single-point second-order closures for classes of rotating and stratified flows relevant to geophysics. Physical situations in which a geostrophic balance is attained are described. Closely related issues of frame-indifference, horizontal divergence, and the Taylor–Proudman theorem are discussed. It is shown that, in the absence of vortex stretching along the axis of rotation, turbulence is frame-indifferent. Unfortunately, no turbulence closures are consistent with this frame-indifference that is frequently an important feature of rotating or quasi-geostrophic flows. A derivation and discussion of the geostrophic constraint which ensures that the modeled second-moment equations are frame-invariant, in the appropriate limit, is given. It is shown that rotating, stratified, and shallow water flows are situations in which such a constitutive relation procedure is useful. A nonlinear nonconstant coefficient representation for the rapid-pressure strain covariance appearing in the Reynolds stress and heat flux equations, consistent with the geostrophic balance, is described. The rapid-pressure strain closure features coefficients that are not constants determined by numerical optimization but are functions of the state of turbulence as parametrized by the Reynolds stresses and the turbulent heat fluxes as is required by tensor representation theory. These issues are relevant to baroclinic and barotropic atmospheric and oceanic flows. The planetary boundary layers in which there is a transition, with height or depth, from a thermally or shear driven turbulence to a geostrophic turbulence is a classic geophysical example to which the considerations in this article are relevant. Received 14 October 1996 and accepted 9 June 1997     

Incompressible Viscous Fluid Flows in a Thin Spherical Shell

Linearized stability of incompressible viscous fluid flows in a thin spherical shell is studied by using the two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations on a sphere. The stationary flow on the sphere has two singularities (a sink and a source) at the North and South poles of the sphere. We prove analytically for the linearized Navier–Stokes equations that the stationary flow is asymptotically stable. When the spherical layer is truncated between two symmetrical rings, we study eigenvalues of the linearized equations numerically by using power series solutions and show that the stationary flow remains asymptotically stable for all Reynolds numbers.      

Prediction of asymmetric vortical flows around slender bodies using Navier-Stokes equations

Steady and unsteady asymmetric vortical flows around slender bodies at high angles of attack are solved using the unsteady, compressible, this-layer Navier-Stokes equations. An implicit, upwind-biased, flux-difference splitting, finite-volume scheme is used for the numerical computations. For supersonic flows past point cones, the locally conical flow assumption has been used for efficient computational studies of this phenomenon. Asymmetric flows past a 5° semiapex-angle circular cone at different angles of attack, free-stream Mach numbers, and Reynolds numbers has been studied in responses to different sources of disturbances. The effects of grid fineness and computational domain size have also been investigated. Next, the responses of three-dimensional supersonic asymmetric flow around a 5° circular cone at different angles of attack and Reynolds numbers to short-duration sideslip disturbances are presented. The results show that flow asymmetry becomes stronger as the Reynolds number and angles of attack are increased. The asymmetric solutions show spatial vortex shedding which is qualitatively similar to the temporal vortex shedding of the unsteady locally conical flow. A cylindrical afterbody is also added to the same cone to study the effect of a cylindrical part on the flow asymmetry. One of the cases of flow over a cone-cylinder configuration is validated fairly well by experimental data.     

Fully explicit and self-consistent algebraic Reynolds stress model

A fully explicit, self-consistent algebraic expression (for Reynolds stress) which is the exact solution to the Reynolds stress transport equation in the weak-equilibrium limit for two-dimensional mean flows for all linear and some quasi-linear pressure-strain models, is derived. Current explicit algebraic Reynolds stress models derived by employing the weak-equilibrium assumption treat the production-to-dissipation (P/) ratio as a constant, resulting in an effective viscosity that can be singular away from the equilibrium limit. In this paper the set of simultaneous algebraic Reynolds stress equations in the weak-equilibrium limit are solved in the full nonlinear form and the eddy viscosity is found to be nonsingular. Preliminary tests indicate that the model performs adequately, even for three-dimensional mean-flow cases. Due to the explicit and nonsingular nature of the effective viscosity, this model should mitigate many of the difficulties encountered in computing complex turbulent flows with the algebraic Reynolds stress models.This research was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under NASA Contract No. NAS1-19480.     

Phase space structure of spinning disks

Using a Hamiltonian formalism and a sequence of canonical transformations, we show that the ordinary differential equations associated with the forced oscillations of rotating circular disks admit the first integral of motion. This reduces the phase space dimension of the governing equations from five to three. The phase space flows of the reduced system are then visualized using Poincaré maps. Our results show that single mode oscillations of rotating disks are subject to chaotic behavior through the emergence of higher-order resonant islands that surround fundamental periodic cycles. We extend our new formalism to imperfect disks and construct adiabatic invariants near to and far from resonances. For low-speed imperfect disks, we find a new kind of bifurcations of the phase space flows as the system parameters vary. We study the effect of structural damping using Hamilton's principle for non-conservative systems and reveal the existence of asymptotically stable limit cycles for the damped system near the 1:1 resonance. We show that a low-speed disk is eventually flattened due to damping effect.     

Reynolds stress modelling of rectangular open‐channel flow

A Reynolds stress model for the numerical simulation of uniform 3D turbulent open‐channel flows is described. The finite volume method is used for the numerical solution of the flow equations and transport equations of the Reynolds stress components. The overall solution strategy is the SIMPLER algorithm, and the power‐law scheme is used to discretize the convection and diffusion terms in the governing equations. The developed model is applied to a flow at a Reynolds number of 77000 in a rectangular channel with a width to depth ratio of 2. The simulated mean flow and turbulence structures are compared with measured and computed data from the literature. The computed flow vectors in the plane normal to the streamwise direction show a small vortex, called inner secondary currents, located at the juncture of the sidewall and the free surface as well as the free surface and bottom vortices. This small vortex causes a significant increase in the wall shear stress in the vicinity of the free surface. A budget analysis of the streamwise vorticity is carried out. It is found that both production terms by anisotropy of Reynolds normal stress and by Reynolds shear stress contribute to the generation of secondary currents. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analytical determination of the heat transfer coefficient for gas,liquid and liquid metal flows in the tube based on stochastic equations and equivalence of measures for continuum

The stochastic equations of continuum are used for determining the heat transfer coefficients. As a result, the formulas for Nusselt (Nu) number dependent on the turbulence intensity and scale instead of only on the Reynolds (Peclet) number are proposed for the classic flows of a nonisothermal fluid in a round smooth tube. It is shown that the new expressions for the classical heat transfer coefficient Nu, which depend only on the Reynolds number, should be obtained from these new general formulas if to use the well-known experimental data for the initial turbulence. It is found that the limitations of classical empirical and semiempirical formulas for heat transfer coefficients and their deviation from the experimental data depend on different parameters of initial fluctuations in the flow for different experiments in a wide range of Reynolds or Peclet numbers. Based on these new dependences, it is possible to explain that the differences between the experimental results for the fixed Reynolds or Peclet numbers are caused by the difference in values of flow fluctuations for each experiment instead of only due to the systematic error in the experiment processing. Accordingly, the obtained general dependences of Nu for a smooth round tube can serve as the basis for clarifying the experimental results and empirical formulas used for continuum flows in various power devices. Obtained results show that both for isothermal and for nonisothermal flows, the reason for the process of transition from a deterministic state into a turbulent one is determined by the physical law of equivalence of measures between them. Also the theory of stochastic equations and the law of equivalence of measures could determine mechanics which is basis in different phenomena of self-organization and chaos theory.