Turbulent Drag Reduction by a Near Wall Surface Tension Active Interface

In this work we study the turbulence modulation in a viscosity-stratified two-phase flow using Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of turbulence and the Phase Field Method (PFM) to simulate the interfacial phenomena. Specifically we consider the case of two immiscible fluid layers driven in a closed rectangular channel by an imposed mean pressure gradient. The present problem, which may mimic the behaviour of an oil flowing under a thin layer of different oil, thickness ratio h₂/h₁ =?9, is described by three main flow parameters: the shear Reynolds number Re _τ (which quantifies the importance of inertia compared to viscous effects), the Weber number We (which quantifies surface tension effects) and the viscosity ratio λ = ν₁/ν₂ between the two fluids. For this first study, the density ratio of the two fluid layers is the same (ρ₂ = ρ₁), we keep Re _τ and We constant, but we consider three different values for the viscosity ratio: λ =?1, λ =?0.875 and λ =?0.75. Compared to a single phase flow at the same shear Reynolds number (Re _τ =?100), in the two phase flow case we observe a decrease of the wall-shear stress and a strong turbulence modulation in particular in the proximity of the interface. Interestingly, we observe that the modulation of turbulence by the liquid-liquid interface extends up to the top wall (i.e. the closest to the interface) and produces local shear stress inversions and flow recirculation regions. The observed results depend primarily on the interface deformability and on the viscosity ratio between the two fluids (λ).     

Evaluation of the Spectral Element Dynamic Model for Large-Eddy Simulation on Unstructured,Deformed Meshes

In this paper, the Spectral-Element Dynamic Model (SEDM), suited for Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) using Discontinuous Finite Element Methods (DFEM), is assessed using unstructured meshes. Five test cases of increasing complexity are considered, namely, the Taylor-Green vortex at Re =?5000, the turbulent channel flow at Re_τ =?587, the circular cylinder in cross-flow at Re_D =?3900, the square cylinder in cross-flow at Re_D =?22400 and the channel with periodic constrictions at Re_h =?10595. Various discretization parameters such as the grid spacing, polynomial degree and numerical flux are assessed and very accurate results are reported in all cases. This consistency in the results demonstrates the versatility of the SEDM approach and its ability to gage the actual resolution and quality of the mesh and, accordingly, to introduce an amount of sub-grid dissipation which is adapted to the spatial discretization considered.     

Aerodynamic characteristics of a thin airfoil cascade in an ideal incompressible flow with separation from the leading edges

A new method of solving the problem of separation flow past a cascade of thin airfoils is proposed. The method is based on the model of separated flow past a single airfoil in which vortex wakes shed from the airfoil edges are modeled by vortex layers with time-averaged intensities. Under the assumption of a small deviation of the freestream angle α from the “impactless entry” angle α ₀ the singular integral equation governing the flow kinematics is closed by a dynamic equation. It is shown that the separation effect on the time-averaged aerodynamic characteristics of the cascade is associated with the total pressure loss due to the flow energy expenditure on the vortex wake formation. The aerodynamic characteristics of the cascade calculated with and without account for flow separation differ by the second-order quantity ? = α ? α ₀.     

Large-Scale Streamwise Vortices in Turbulent Channel Flow Induced by Active Wall Actuations

Direct numerical simulations of turbulent flow in a plane channel using spanwise alternatively distributed strips (SADS) are performed to investigate the characteristics of large-scale streamwise vortices (LSSVs) induced by small-scale active wall actuations, and their role in suppressing flow separation. SADS control is obtained by alternatively applying out-of-phase control (OPC) and in-phase control (IPC) to the wall-normal velocity component of the lower channel wall, in the spanwise direction. Besides the non-controlled channel flow simulated as a reference, four controlled cases with 1, 2, 3 and 4 pairs of OPC/IPC strips are studied at M =?0.2 and R e =?6,000, based on the bulk velocity and the channel half height. The case with 2 pairs of strips, whose width is Δz ⁺ =?264 based on the friction velocity of the non-controlled case, is the most effective in terms of generating large-scale motions. It is also found that the OPC (resp. IPC) strips suppress (resp. enhance) the coherent structures and that leads to the creation of a vertical shear layer, which is responsible for the LSSVs presence. They are in a statistically steady state and their cores are located between two neighbouring OPC and IPC strips. These motions contribute significantly to the momentum transport in the wall-normal and spanwise directions showing potential for flow separation suppression.     

Application of the γ-Reθ Transition Model to Simulations of the Flow Past a Circular Cylinder

Based on the finite volume method, the flow past a two-dimensional circular cylinder at a critical Reynolds number (Re = 8.5 × 10⁵) was simulated using the Navier-Stokes equations and the γ-Re_θ transition model coupled with the SST k ? ω turbulence model (hereinafter abbreviated as γ-Re_θ model). Considering the effect of free-stream turbulence intensity decay, the SST k ? ω turbulence model was modified according to the ambient source term method proposed by Spalart and Rumsey, and then the modified SST k ? ω turbulence model is coupled with the γ-Re_θ transition model (hereinafter abbreviated as γ-Re_θ-SR model). The flow past a circular cylinder at different inlet turbulence intensities were simulated by the γ-Re_θ-SR model. At last, the flow past a circular cylinder at subcritical, critical and supercritical Reynolds numbers were each simulated by the γ-Re_θ-SR model, and the three flow states were analyzed. It was found that compared with the SST k ? ω turbulence model, the γ-Re_θ model could simulate the transition of laminar to turbulent, resulting in better consistency with experimental result. Compared with the γ-Re_θ model, for relatively high inlet turbulence intensities, the γ-Re_θ-SR model could better simulate the flow past a circular cylinder; however the improvement almost diminished for relatively low inlet turbulence intensities The γ-Re_θ-SR model could well simulate the flow past a circular cylinder at subcritical, critical and supercritical Reynolds numbers.     

Combining the SSG/LRR-<Emphasis Type="Italic">ω</Emphasis> differential reynolds stress model with the detached eddy and laminar-turbulent transition models

The procedure of incorporating the detached eddy method and a model of laminar-turbulent transition into the SSG/LRR-ω turbulence model is presented. The approach proposed can be regarded as the generalization of the existing models intended to perform calculations with the SST turbulence model to the case of their use with the SSG/LRR-ω model. The advantage of the approach developed over the RANS turbulence models based on the Boussinesq hypothesis is demonstrated with respect to the problems of flow past an airfoil and cold jet outflow.     

Effects of the Reynolds number on a scale-similarity model of Lagrangian velocity correlations in isotropic turbulent flows

A scale-similarity model of a two-point two-time Lagrangian velocity correlation(LVC) was originally developed for the relative dispersion of tracer particles in isotropic turbulent flows(HE, G. W., JIN, G. D., and ZHAO, X. Scale-similarity model for Lagrangian velocity correlations in isotropic and stationary turbulence. Physical Review E, 80, 066313(2009)). The model can be expressed as a two-point Eulerian space correlation and the dispersion velocity V. The dispersion velocity denotes the rate at which one moving particle departs from another fixed particle. This paper numerically validates the robustness of the scale-similarity model at high Taylor micro-scale Reynolds numbers up to 373, which are much higher than the original values(R_λ = 66, 102). The effect of the Reynolds number on the dispersion velocity in the scale-similarity model is carefully investigated. The results show that the scale-similarity model is more accurate at higher Reynolds numbers because the two-point Lagrangian velocity correlations with different initial spatial separations collapse into a universal form compared with a combination of the initial separation and the temporal separation via the dispersion velocity.Moreover, the dispersion velocity V normalized by the Kolmogorov velocity V_η≡η/τ_η in which η and τ_η are the Kolmogorov space and time scales, respectively, scales with the Reynolds number R_λ as V/V_η∝ R_λ~(1.39) obtained from the numerical data.     

Numerical simulation of the interaction of a transverse jet with a supersonic flow using different turbulence models

This paper presents a numerical simulation of the flow resulting from transverse jet injection into a supersonic flow through a slot nozzle at different pressures in the injected jet and the crossflow. Calculations on grids with different resolutions use the Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model, the k–ε model, the k–ω model, and the SST model. Based on a comparison of the calculated and experimental data on the wall pressure distribution, the length of the recirculation area, and the depth of jet penetration into the supersonic flow, conclusions are made on the accuracy of the calculation results for the different turbulence models and the applicability of these models to similar problems.     

Study of the Spectral Difference Numerical Dissipation for Turbulent Flows Using Unstructured Grids

In this paper, the numerical dissipation properties of the Spectral Difference (SD) method are studied in the context of vortex dominated flows and wall-bounded turbulence, using uniform and distorted grids. First, the validity of using the SD numerical dissipation as the only source of subgrid dissipation (the so-called Implicit-LES approach) is assessed on regular grids using various polynomial degrees (namely, p = 3, p = 4, p = 5) for the Taylor-Green vortex flow configuration at R e = 5 000. It is shown that the levels of numerical dissipation greatly depend on the order of accuracy chosen and, in turn, lead to an incorrect estimation of the viscous dissipation levels. The influence of grid distortion on the numerical dissipation is then assessed in the context of finite Reynolds number freely-decaying and wall-bounded turbulence. Tests involving different amplitudes of distortion show that highly skewed grids lead to the presence of small-scale, noisy structures, emphasizing the need of explicit subgrid modeling or regularization procedures when considering coarse, high-order SD computations on unstructured grids. Under-resolved, high-order computations of the turbulent channel flow at R e _τ = 1000 using highly-skewed grids are considered as well and present a qualitatively similar agreement to results obtained on a regular grid.     

Revisiting History Effects in Adverse-Pressure-Gradient Turbulent Boundary Layers

The goal of this study is to present a first step towards establishing criteria aimed at assessing whether a particular adverse-pressure-gradient (APG) turbulent boundary layer (TBL) can be considered well-behaved, i.e., whether it is independent of the inflow conditions and is exempt of numerical or experimental artifacts. To this end, we analyzed several high-quality datasets, including in-house numerical databases of APG TBLs developing over flat-plates and the suction side of a wing section, and five studies available in the literature. Due to the impact of the flow history on the particular state of the boundary layer, we developed three criteria of convergence to well-behaved conditions, to be used depending on the particular case under study. (i) In the first criterion, we develop empirical correlations defining the R e _?? -evolution of the skin-friction coefficient and the shape factor in APG TBLs with constant values of the Clauser pressure-gradient parameter β = 1 and 2 (note that β = δ ^?/τ _w dP _e /dx, where δ ^? is the displacement thickness, τ _w the wall-shear stress and dP _e /dx the streamwise pressure gradient). (ii) In the second one, we propose a predictive method to obtain the skin-friction curve corresponding to an APG TBL subjected to any streamwise evolution of β, based only on data from zero-pressure-gradient TBLs. (iii) The third method relies on the diagnostic-plot concept modified with the shape factor, which scales APG TBLs subjected to a wide range of pressure-gradient conditions. These three criteria allow to ensure the correct flow development of a particular TBL, and thus to separate history and pressure-gradient effects in the analysis.     

Numerical Study of Turbulent Channel Flow over Surfaces with Variable Spanwise Heterogeneities: Topographically-driven Secondary Flows Affect Outer-layer Similarity of Turbulent Length Scales

Wall-bounded turbulent flows over surfaces with spanwise heterogeneous surface roughness – that is, spanwise-adjacent patches of relatively high and low roughness – exhibit mean flow phenomena entirely different to what would otherwise exist in the absence of spanwise heterogeneity. In the outer layer, mean counter-rotating rolls occupy the depth of the flow, and are positioned such that “upwelling” and “downwelling” occurs above the low and high roughness, respectively. It has been comprehensively shown that these secondary flows are Prandtl’s secondary flow of the second kind (Anderson et al., J. Fluid Mech. 768, 316–347 2015). This behaviour indicates that spanwise spacing, s _y , between adjacent patches of high and low roughness is, itself, a problem parameter; in this study, we have systematically assessed how s _y affects turbulence structure in high Reynolds number channel flows via two-point correlations. “High roughness” is imposed with streamwise-aligned pyramid elements with height, h, selected to be ≈ 5% of the channel half height, H. For \(s_{y}/H \gtrsim 1\), we find that the aforementioned domain-scale mean circulations exist and the surface may be regarded as a topography. For s _y /H ? 0.2, turbulence statistics show characteristics very similar to a homogeneous roughness and thus the surface may be regarded as a roughness. For 0.2 ? s _y /H ? 2, the spatial extent of the counter-rotating rolls is controlled by proximity to adjacent rows, and we define such surfaces as being intermediate. We refer to such surfaces as intermediate state.     

Numerical Simulation of Two Phase Turbulent Flow of Nanofluids in Confined Slot Impinging Jet

In this article, a numerical investigation is performed on flow and heat transfer of confined impinging slot jet, with a mixture of water and Al₂O₃ nanoparticles as the working fluid. Two-dimensional turbulent flow is considered and a constant temperature is applied on the impingement surface. The k ? ω turbulence model is used for the turbulence computations. Two-phase mixture model is implemented to study such a flow field. The governing equations are solved using the finite volume method. In order to consider the effect of obstacle angle on temperature fields in the channel, the numerical simulations were performed for different obstacle angles of 0° ? 60°. Also different geometrical parameters, volume fractions and Reynolds numbers have been considered to study the behavior of the system in terms of stagnation point, average and local Nusselt number and stream function contours. The results showed that the intensity and size of the vortex structures depend on jet- impingement surface distance ratio (H/W) and volume fraction. The maximum Nusselt number occurs at the stagnation point with the highest values at about H/W = 1. Increasing obstacle angle, from 15° to 60°, enhances the heat transfer rate. It was also revealed that the minimum value of average Nusselt number occurs in higher H/W ratios with decreasing the channel length.     

A Simple Approach for Specifying Velocity Inflow Boundary Conditions in Simulations of Turbulent Opposed-Jet Flows

A new methodology is developed to specify inflow boundary conditions for the velocity field at the nozzle exit planes in turbulent counterflow simulations. The turbulent counterflow configuration consists of two coaxial opposed nozzles which emit highly-turbulent streams of varying species compositions depending on the mode considered. The specification of velocity inflow boundary conditions at the nozzle exits in the counterflow configuration is non-trivial because of the unique turbulence field generated by the turbulence generating plates (TGPs) upstream of the nozzle exits. In the method presented here, a single large-eddy simulation (LES) is performed in a large domain that spans the region between the TGPs of the nozzles, and the time series of the velocity fields at the nozzle exit planes are recorded. To provide inflow boundary conditions at the nozzle exit planes for simulations under other conditions (e.g., different stream compositions, bulk velocity, TGP location), transformations are performed on the recorded time series: the mean and r.m.s. (root-mean-square) quantities of velocity, as well as the longitudinal integral length scale on the centerline, at the nozzle exits in simulations are matched to those observed in experiments, thereby matching the turbulent Reynolds number R e _t . The method is assessed by implementing it in coupled large-eddy simulation/probability density function (LES/PDF) simulations on a small cylindrical domain between the nozzle exit planes for three different modes of the counterflow configuration: N ₂ vs. N ₂; N ₂ vs. hot combustion products; and C H ₄/N ₂ vs. O ₂. The inflow method is found to be successful as the first and second moments of velocity from the LES/PDF simulations agree well with the experimental data on the centerline for all three modes. This simple yet effective inflow strategy can be applied to eliminate the computational cost required to simulate the flow field upstream of the nozzle exits. It is also emphasized that, in addition to the predicted time series data, the availability of experimental data close to the nozzle exit planes plays a key role in the success of this method.     

Reynolds-Averaged,Scale-Adaptive and Large-Eddy Simulations of Premixed Bluff-Body Combustion Using the Eddy Dissipation Concept

A lean premixed propane/air bluff-body stabilized flame (Volvo test rig) is calculated using the Scale-Adaptive Simulation turbulence model (SAS) and Large-Eddy simulations (LES) as well as the conventional Reynolds-averaged approach (RAS). RAS and SAS are closed by the standard k-?? and the k-ω Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence models, respectively. The conventional Smagorinsky and the k-equation sub-grid scales models are used for the LES closure. Effects of the sub-grid scalar flux modeling using the classical gradient hypothesis and Clark’s tensor diffusivity closures both for the inert and reactive LES flows are discussed. The Eddy Dissipation Concept (EDC) is used for the turbulence-chemistry interaction. It assumes that molecular mixing and the subsequent combustion occur in the ’fine structures’ (smaller dissipative eddies, which are close to the Kolmogorov scales). Assuming the full turbulence energy cascade, the characteristic length and velocity scales of the ’fine structures’ are evaluated using different turbulence models (RAS, SAS and LES). The finite-rate chemical kinetics is taken into account by treating the ’fine structures’ as constant pressure and adiabatic homogeneous reactors, calculated as a system of ordinary-differential equations (ODEs) described by a Perfectly Stirred Reactor (PSR) concept. Several further enhancements to model the PSRs are proposed, including a new Livermore Solver (LSODA) for integrating stiff ODEs and a new correction to calculate the PSR time scales. All models have been implemented as a stand-alone application \(\text {edcPisoFoam}\) based on the OpenFOAM technology. Additionally, several RAS calculations were performed using the Turbulence Flame Speed Closure model in Ansys Fluent to assess effects of the heat losses by modeling the conjugate heat transfer between the bluff-body and the reactive flow. Effects of the turbulence Schmidt number on RAS results are discussed as well. Numerical results are compared with available experimental data. Reasonable consistency between experimental data and numerical results provided by RAS, SAS and LES is observed. In general, there is satisfactory agreement between present LES-EDC simulations, numerical results by other authors and measurements without any major modification to the EDC closure constants, which gives a quite reasonable indication on the adequacy and accuracy of the method and its further application for turbulent premixed combustion simulations.     

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.     

Experimental Control of Turbulent Boundary Layers with In-plane Travelling Waves

The experimental control of turbulent boundary layers using streamwise travelling waves of spanwise wall velocity, produced using a novel active surface, is outlined in this paper. The innovative surface comprises a pneumatically actuated compliant structure based on the kagome lattice geometry, supporting a pre-tensioned membrane skin. Careful design of the structure enables waves of variable length and speed to be produced in the flat surface in a robust and repeatable way, at frequencies and amplitudes known to have a favourable influence on the boundary layer. Two surfaces were developed, a preliminary module extending 152 mm in the streamwise direction, and a longer one with a fetch of 2.9 m so that the boundary layer can adjust to the new surface condition imposed by the forcing. With a shorter, 1.5 m portion of the surface actuated, generating an upstream-travelling wave, a drag reduction of 21.5% was recorded in the boundary layer with Re _τ =?1125. At the same flow conditions, a downstream-travelling produced a much smaller drag reduction of 2.6%, agreeing with the observed trends in current simulations. The drag reduction was determined with constant temperature hot-wire measurements of the mean velocity gradient in the viscous sublayer, while simultaneous laser Doppler vibrometer measurements of the surface recorded the wall motion. Despite the mechanics of the dynamic surface resulting in some out-of-plane motion (which is small in comparison to the in-plane streamwise movement), the positive drag reduction results are encouraging for future investigations at higher Reynolds numbers.     

Filling the gap between transient and steady shear rheology of aqueous graphene oxide dispersions

Even though the rheological behavior of aqueous graphene oxide (G-O) dispersions has been shown to be strongly time-dependent, only few transient measurements have been reported in the literature. In this work, we attempt to fill the gap between transient and steady shear rheological characterizations of aqueous G-O dispersions in the concentration range of 0.004 < ? <?3.5 wt%, by conducting comprehensive rheological measurements, including oscillatory shear flow, transient shear flow, and steady shear flow. Steady shear measurements have been performed after the evaluation of transient properties of the G-O dispersions, to assure steady-state conditions. We identify the critical concentration ? _c =?0.08 wt% (where G-O sheets start to interact) from oscillatory shear experiments. We find that the rheology of G-O dispersions strongly depends on the G-O concentration ?. Transient measurements of shear viscosity and first normal stress difference suggest that G-O dispersions behave like nematic polymeric liquid crystals at ?/? _c =?25, in agreement with other work reported in the literature. G-O dispersions also display a transition from negative to positive values of the first normal stress difference with increasing shear rates. Experimental findings of aqueous graphene oxide dispersions are compared and discussed with models and experiments reported for nematic polymeric liquid crystals, laponite, and organoclay dispersions.     

Towards a Direct Numerical Simulation of a Simplified Pressurized Thermal Shock

The aim of this research work is to perform high quality direct numerical simulations (DNS) of a simplified single phase pressurized thermal shock (PTS) scenario with and without buoyancy effects. In that context, the objectives of this paper are (i) to present the road towards the DNS of a PTS design without buoyancy effects and (ii) to demonstrate that the code NEK5000 is adequate for true DNS analyses. This DNS of the PTS design will serve as a reference to validate low order CFD approaches. The higher order spectral element code NEK5000 is selected to perform the high quality DNS computations. The capabilities of this code, in order to perform the DNS for PTS like geometries, have been extensively assessed for a well-known turbulent channel flow configuration with Re_τ =?180 (turbulent Reynolds number based on the wall friction velocity). Different numerical parameters of NEK5000 have been thoroughly tested and their influence has been studied to obtain high quality turbulence statistics. This assessment of NEK5000 is further extended for the application of highly skewed hexahedral (non-orthogonal) meshes in a turbulent channel flow. The obtained results have shown that NEK5000 is capable of producing high quality DNS solution for a PTS like complex flow configuration for skewed elements (meshes) up to 60 degrees. Finally, this tested numerical framework is adopted to perform the targeted DNS computations of the simplified PTS design.     

Theory of unsteady separation in supersonic flow around a convex corner

A theory of unsteady separation in inviscid supersonic flow around a convex corner is developed. Within the framework of the hypothesis suggested the mechanism of separationless-to-separated flow transition is explained and the forces leading to flow separation are determined as functions of the angle θ and the oncoming flow velocity. The values of the angle θ _k at which the flow is separated from the corner vertex and the stall angle θ _s determining the separated flow direction obtained previously in experiments and by numerical simulation are confirmed.     

LES-based Study of the Roughness Effects on the Wake of a Circular Cylinder from Subcritical to Transcritical Reynolds Numbers

This paper investigates the effects of surface roughness on the flow past a circular cylinder at subcritical to transcritical Reynolds numbers. Large eddy simulations of the flow for sand grain roughness of size k/D = 0.02 are performed (D is the cylinder diameter). Results show that surface roughness triggers the transition to turbulence in the boundary layer at all Reynolds numbers, thus leading to an early separation caused by the increased momentum deficit, especially at transcritical Reynolds numbers. Even at subcritical Reynolds numbers, boundary layer instabilities are triggered in the roughness sublayer and eventually lead to the transition to turbulence. The early separation at transcritical Reynolds numbers leads to a wake topology similar to that of the subcritical regime, resulting in an increased drag coefficient and lower Strouhal number. Turbulent statistics in the wake are also affected by roughness; the Reynolds stresses are larger due to the increased turbulent kinetic energy production in the boundary layer and separated shear layers close to the cylinder shoulders.