The effect of Reynolds number on a turbulent far-wake

The turbulent far-waked generated by a circular cylinder is investigated for two values (1350 and 4600) of the Reynolds number Re _θ (based on the free stream velocity and the momentum thickness). Two arrays of sixteen X-wires, eight in the (x,?y)-plane and eight in the (x,?z)-plane, are used to capture the main features of the large-scale motion in two orthogonal planes. Both the magnitude of the measured Reynolds stresses and the size of the two-point velocity and vorticity correlation contours increase with Reynolds number. The probability density function and spectra of the velocity signals also exhibit differences with Re _θ. A comparison of centerline turbulence intensities with those in the literature suggests that the Reynolds number dependence may disappear for Re _θ?5000.     

Prediction of steady-state viscous and elastic properties of polyolefin melts in shear and elongation

The linear and nonlinear steady-state viscosities and elastic compliances were measured in shear and elongational flows for two low-density polyethylenes, a linear polypropylene, and two metallocene catalyzed polyethylenes (one linear and one long-chain branched) by Wolff et al. (Rheol Acta 49:95?C103, 2010) and Resch (dissertation, 2010). Comprehensive data of this type are rarely found in the literature, and comprehensive modeling of both viscous and elastic effects is even rarer. In this contribution, the reliability of a modeling approach proposed by Laun (J Rheol 30(3):459?C501, 1986) and based on the damping function concept is tested. The strain hardening seen for the long-chain branched polymers and its absence in the case of the linear polymer, the stronger decrease of the tensile compliance in comparison to the shear compliance with increasing stress, as well as the extended linear-viscoelastic regime of the shear viscosity in contrast to the shear compliance are correctly modeled. While the modeling of the nonlinear response in shear can be achieved with only one material parameter for most of the polymers considered here, the nonlinear modeling in elongation is achieved with two parameters. The same parameter values are shown to describe viscous as well as elastic properties of the melts, and thus the relations of Laun can be used to test the consistency of viscosity and compliance measurements.     

Vorticity characteristics of the turbulent intermediate wake

Measurements of the lateral components _j (j=2 and 3) of the vorticity fluctuation vector have been made, using a vorticity probe consisting of two X-wires, in the intermediate wake of a circular cylinder. The effect of the spatial resolution of the probe on the measurement of _j has been studied. As the spatial resolution impairs, the variance and flatness factor of _j decrease whereas the skewness of _j increases. Reasonably accurate values of _j ² can be obtained by applying spectral corrections for the spatial resolution effect.Near the beginning of the intermediate wake, the variance of ₂ is larger than that of ₃ due to the significant contribution from ribs which connect consecutive spanwise roll vortices. This difference decreases with downstream distance. Also, the presence of the rolls is reflected by a local extremum in the skewness of ₃ on each side of the wake centerline. The magnitude of the extremum decreases with downstream distance.The support of the Australian Research Council is gratefully acknowledged.     

Combined influence of the Reynolds number and localised wall suction on a turbulent boundary layer

This paper considers the effect the Reynolds number has on a turbulent boundary layer that is subjected to concentrated suction, applied through a short porous wall strip. The response of the skin friction coefficient to suction is strongly modulated by the momentum thickness Reynolds number R ₀. The magnitude and wavelength of the variation of the skin friction decrease as R ₀ increases. Measurements clearly show that it is the combination of R ₀ and the suction rate that controls the boundary layer response. Relaminarisation of the near-wall flow, which occurs just downstream of the suction strip when =5.5 and R ₀=660, could not be achieved at higher Reynolds numbers. It is suggested that the ratio R ₀/ should not exceed a (as yet undetermined) critical value if pseudo-relaminarisation is to occur. The mean velocity profiles differ from the undisturbed profile for all the values of R ₀ and considered here. Although the redistribution of the turbulent kinetic energy among the normal Reynolds stresses is affected by , a variation in R ₀ does not appear to alter the effect of on this redistribution.     

Jet column modes in both a plane jet and a passively modified plane jet subject to acoustic excitation

Use is made of acoustic excitation to enhance the coherent vortical structures that form in both a plane jet and a passively modified plane jet. The Strouhal number for the preferred mode based on the nozzle height of the jet is found to be unaffected by the passive modification. The existence of the jet column mode of stable pairing in the excited plane jet is unambiguously confirmed. Measurements in the excited and modified plane jet show that the passive modification suppresses this mode. Finally, the work shows the existence of a new mode of stable pairing. Both time- and phase-averaged measurements are presented to examine this mode.     

Assessment of a three-component vorticity probe in decaying turbulence

Measurements in grid turbulence with a three-component hot-wire vorticity probe are compared with results obtained from a direct numerical simulation of decaying homogeneous turbulence at a similar Reynolds number. There is adequate agreement for both spectra and probability density functions of all three vorticity fluctuations. This supports the treatment of the measured data, in particular the corrections that need to be applied for the finite spatial resolution of the probe. The comparison does, however, highlight some inaccuracies in the way the instantaneous dissipation rate fluctuations were obtained experimentally.     

Optimal transport and a bilevel location-allocation problem

In this paper a two-stage optimization model is studied to find the optimal location of new facilities and the optimal partition of the consumers (location-allocation problem). The social planner minimizes the social costs, i.e. the fixed costs plus the waiting time costs, taking into account that the citizens are partitioned in the region according to minimizing the capacity costs plus the distribution costs in the service regions. By using optimal transport tools, existence results of solutions to the location-allocation problem are presented together with some examples.     

Study of non-covalent interactions of luotonin A derivatives and the DNA minor groove as a first step in the study of their analytical potential as DNA probes

The interaction between DNA and several newly synthesized derivatives of the natural anticancer compound luotonin A has been studied. The results from our work reveal an effective and selective alkaloid/double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA) interaction. In the presence of increasing amounts of ds-DNA, a noticeable fluorescence quenching of the luotonin A derivatives under study was observed. However, this effect did not take place when single-stranded DNA (ss-DNA) was employed. The association constant alkaloids/ds-DNA was calculated by quantitation of such a quenching effect. The influence of other quenchers, namely Co²⁺ and Br⁻ on the native fluorescence of luotonin A and derivatives was also studied, and a remarkable quenching effect was observed for both ions. We have also investigated how by binding DNA the alkaloids could get protected from the external Co²⁺ and Br⁻ quenchers. The Stern–Volmer constants (K _SV) for Co²⁺ and Br⁻ quenching effect on the studied alkaloids were considerably reduced (10–50%) after incubation of the compounds in the presence of DNA with regard to the K _SV values in absence of DNA. An increase in the fluorescence anisotropy values of luotonins was also produced only in the presence of ds-DNA but not in the case of ss-DNA. To better characterize the nature of that interaction, viscosimetry assays and ethidium bromide displacement studies were conducted. With regard to DNA reference solutions, the viscosity of solutions containing DNA and luotonin A derivatives was reduced or not significantly increased. It was also observed that the studied compounds were unable to displace the intercalating agent ethidium bromide. All of these results, together with the obtained association constants values (K _ass = 2.2 × 10² – 1.3 × 10³), support that neither covalent nor intercalating interactions luotonin A derivatives/ds-DNA are produced, leading to the conclusion that these alkaloids bind ds-DNA through the minor groove. The specific changes in the fluorescence behavior of luotonin A and derivatives distinguishing between ss-DNA and ds-DNA binding, lead us to propose these compounds as attractive turn-off probes to detect DNA hybridization.     

Corrections for velocity and temperature derivatives in turbulent flows

Spectral corrections, which are based on local isotropy, are presented for all the spatial derivatives of velocity and temperature fluctuations which feature in the average dissipations of turbulent energy and temperature. The corrections, which compensate for the spectral attenuation due to the separation between sensors, depend only weakly on the choice of the three-dimensional energy (or temperature) spectrum and therefore on the turbulence Reynolds number. Corrections are also obtained for the variances of velocity and temperature derivatives. The diagonal velocity derivatives require smaller corrections than either the off-diagonal velocity derivatives or the temperature derivatives. Corrections of comparable magnitude are required for the average dissipations of turbulent energy and temperature.