Spectrum of passive scalars of high molecular diffusivity in turbulent mixing

2013 ◽  
Vol 716 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. K. Yeung ◽  
K. R. Sreenivasan
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Turbulent Mixing ◽  
Kinematic Viscosity ◽  
Schmidt Number ◽  
Scalar Fields ◽  
Passive Scalar ◽  
Careful Examination ◽  
Passive Scalars ◽  
Molecular Diffusivity ◽  
Schmidt Numbers

AbstractWe consider the mixing of passive scalars transported in turbulent flow, with a molecular diffusivity that is large compared to the kinematic viscosity of the fluid. This particular case of mixing has not received much attention in experiment or simulation even though the first putative theory, due to Batchelor, Howells & Townsend (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 5, 1959, pp. 134–139), is now more than 50 years old. We study the problem using direct numerical simulation of decaying scalar fields in steadily sustained homogeneous turbulence as the Schmidt number (the ratio of the kinematic viscosity of the fluid to the molecular diffusivity of the scalar) is allowed to vary from $1/ 8$ to $1/ 2048$ for two values of the microscale Reynolds number, ${R}_{\lambda } \approx 140$ and $\approx $240. The simulations show that the passive scalar spectrum assumes a slope of $- 17/ 3$ in a range of scales, as predicted by the theory, when the Schmidt number is small and the Reynolds number is simultaneously large. The observed agreement between theory and simulation in the prefactor in the spectrum is not perfect. We assess the reasons for this discrepancy by a careful examination of the scalar evolution equation in the light of the assumptions of the theory, and conclude that the finite range of scales resolved in simulations is the main reason. Numerical issues specific to the regime of very low Schmidt numbers are also addressed briefly.

The vanishing effect of molecular diffusivity on turbulent dispersion: implications for turbulent mixing and the scalar flux

1998 ◽  
Vol 359 ◽  
pp. 299-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. B. POPE
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Turbulent Mixing ◽  
High Reynolds Number ◽  
Passive Scalar ◽  
Turbulent Dispersion ◽  
Sufficient Condition ◽  
Scalar Flux ◽  
Molecular Diffusivity ◽  
The Mean ◽  
High Reynolds

In 1921 G. I. Taylor introduced (with little discussion) the notion that the dispersion of a conserved passive scalar in a turbulent flow is determined by the motion of fluid particles (independent of the molecular diffusivity). Here, a hypothesis of diffusivity independence is introduced, which provides a sufficient condition for the validity of Taylor's approach. The hypothesis, which is supported by DNS data, is that, at high Reynolds number, the mean of the scalar conditional on the velocity is independent of the molecular diffusivity. From this hypothesis it is shown that (at high Reynolds number) the conditional Laplacian of the scalar is zero. This new result has several significant implications for models of turbulent mixing, and for the scalar flux. Primarily, a model of turbulent scalar mixing that is independent of velocity is inconsistent with the hypothesis, and gives rise to a spurious source or (more likely) sink of the scalar flux.

scholarly journals Mixing and chemical reactions in a turbulent liquid mixing layer

1986 ◽  
Vol 170 ◽  
pp. 83-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Koochesfahani ◽  
P. E. Dimotakis
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Turbulent Mixing ◽  
High Speed ◽  
High Reynolds Number ◽  
Schmidt Number ◽  
Mixing Layer ◽  
Entrainment Ratio ◽  
High Reynolds ◽  
Mixed Fluid

An experimental investigation of entrainment and mixing in reacting and non-reacting turbulent mixing layers at large Schmidt number is presented. In non-reacting cases, a passive scalar is used to measure the probability density function (p.d.f.) of the composition field. Chemically reacting experiments employ a diffusion-limited acid–base reaction to directly measure the extent of molecular mixing. The measurements make use of laser-induced fluorescence diagnostics and high-speed, real-time digital image-acquisition techniques.Our results show that the vortical structures in the mixing layer initially roll-up with a large excess of fluid from the high-speed stream entrapped in the cores. During the mixing transition, not only does the amount of mixed fluid increase, but its composition also changes. It is found that the range of compositions of the mixed fluid, above the mixing transition and also throughout the transition region, is essentially uniform across the entire transverse extent of the layer. Our measurements indicate that the probability of finding unmixed fluid in the centre of the layer, above the mixing transition, can be as high as 0.45. In addition, the mean concentration of mixed fluid across the layer is found to be approximately constant at a value corresponding to the entrainment ratio. Comparisons with gas-phase data show that the normalized amount of chemical product formed in the liquid layer, at high Reynolds number, is 50% less than the corresponding quantity measured in the gas-phase case. We therefore conclude that Schmidt number plays a role in turbulent mixing of high-Reynolds-number flows.

Effect of Schmidt number on small-scale passive scalar turbulence

2003 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 615-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
RA Antonia ◽  
P Orlandi
Keyword(s):  
Turbulent Flows ◽  
Schmidt Number ◽  
Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Passive Scalar ◽  
Scalar Dissipation ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Passive Scalars ◽  
First Case ◽  
Decaying Turbulence

Previous reviews of the behavior of passive scalars which are convected and mixed by turbulent flows have focused primarily on the case when the Prandtl number Pr, or more generally, the Schmidt number Sc is around 1. The present review considers the extra effects which arise when Sc differs from 1. It focuses mainly on information obtained from direct numerical simulations of homogeneous isotropic turbulence which either decays or is maintained in steady state. The first case is of interest since it has attracted significant theoretical attention and can be related to decaying turbulence downstream of a grid. Topics covered in the review include spectra and structure functions of the scalar, the topology and isotropy of the small-scale scalar field, as well as the correlation between the fluctuating rate of strain and the scalar dissipation rate. In each case, the emphasis is on the dependence with respect to Sc. There are as yet unexplained differences between results on forced and unforced simulations of homogeneous isotropic turbulence. There are 144 references cited in this review article.

scholarly journals The Effect of Schmidt Number on Turbulent Scalar Mixing in a Jet-in-Crossflow

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangbin He ◽  
Yanhu Guo ◽  
Andrew T. Hsu ◽  
A. Brankovic ◽  
S. Syed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Turbulence Model ◽  
Momentum Flux ◽  
Schmidt Number ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Scalar Fields ◽  
Spreading Rate ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Appreciable Effect ◽  
Jet In Crossflow ◽  
Schmidt Numbers

The adequacy and accuracy of the constant Schmidt number assumption in predicting turbulent scalar fields in jet-in-crossflows are assessed in the present work. A round jet injected into a confined crossflow in a rectangular tunnel has been simulated using the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations coupled with the standard k-ε turbulence model. A semi-analytical qualitative analysis was made to guide the selection of Schmidt number values. A series of parametric studies were performed, and Schmidt numbers ranging from 0.2 to 1.5 and jet-to-crossflow momentum flux ratios from 8 to 72 were tested. The principal observation is that the Schmidt number does not have an appreciable effect on the species penetration, but it does have a significant effect on species spreading rate in jet-in-crossflows, especially for the cases where the jet-to-crossflow momentum flux ratios are relatively small. A Schmidt number of 0.2 is recommended for best agreement with data. The limitations of the standard k–ε turbulence model and the constant Schmidt number assumption are discussed.

A Numerical Study on the Turbulent Schmidt Numbers in a Jet in Crossflow

2012 ◽  
Vol 135 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizaveta M. Ivanova ◽  
Berthold E. Noll ◽  
Manfred Aigner
Keyword(s):  
Schmidt Number ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Scalar Fields ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Rans Model ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Jet In Crossflow ◽  
Turbulent Schmidt Number ◽  
Optimal Value ◽  
Schmidt Numbers

This work presents a numerical study on the turbulent Schmidt numbers in jets in crossflow. This study contains two main parts. In the first part, the problem of the proper choice of the turbulent Schmidt number in the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) jet in crossflow mixing simulations is outlined. The results of RANS employing the shear-stress transport (SST) model of Menter and its curvature correction modification and different turbulent Schmidt number values are validated against experimental data. The dependence of the optimal value of the turbulent Schmidt number on the dynamic RANS model is studied. Furthermore, a comparison is made with the large-eddy simulation (LES) results obtained using the wall-adapted local eddy viscosity (WALE) model. The accuracy given by LES is superior in comparison to RANS results. This leads to the second part of the current study, in which the time-averaged mean and fluctuating velocity and scalar fields from LES are used for the evaluation of the turbulent viscosities, turbulent scalar diffusivities, and the turbulent Schmidt numbers in a jet in crossflow configuration. The values obtained from the LES data are compared with those given by the RANS modeling. The deviations are discussed, and the possible ways for the RANS model improvements are outlined.

On local isotropy of passive scalars in turbulent shear flows

1991 ◽  
Vol 434 (1890) ◽  
pp. 165-182 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Turbulent Flows ◽  
High Reynolds Number ◽  
Shear Flows ◽  
Scalar Fields ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Passive Scalar ◽  
Turbulent Shear ◽  
Local Isotropy ◽  
Passive Scalars ◽  
High Reynolds

An assessment of local isotropy and universality in high-Reynolds-number turbulent flows is presented. The emphasis is on the behaviour of passive scalar fields advected by turbulence, but a brief review of the relevant facts is given for the turbulent motion itself. Experiments suggest that local isotropy is not a natural concept for scalars in shear flows, except, perhaps, at such extreme Reynolds numbers that are of no practical relevance on Earth. Yet some type of scaling exists even at moderate Reynolds numbers. The relation between these two observations is a theme of this paper.

Investigation of internal intermittency by way of higher-order spectral moments

2021 ◽  
Vol 932 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Lortie ◽  
L. Mydlarski
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
High Reynolds Number ◽  
Scalar Fields ◽  
Passive Scalar ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Inertial Subrange ◽  
Grid Turbulence ◽  
Spectral Moments ◽  
Number Range ◽  
High Reynolds

The analysis of turbulence by way of higher-order spectral moments is uncommon, despite the relatively frequent use of such statistical analyses in other fields of physics and engineering. In this work, higher-order spectral moments are used to investigate the internal intermittency of the turbulent velocity and passive-scalar (temperature) fields. This study first introduces the theory behind higher-order spectral moments as they pertain to the field of turbulence. Then, a short-time Fourier-transform-based method is developed to estimate these higher-order spectral moments and provide a relative, scale-by-scale measure of intermittency. Experimental data are subsequently analysed and consist of measurements of homogeneous, isotropic, high-Reynolds-number, passive and active grid turbulence over the Reynolds-number range $35\leq R_{\lambda } \leq ~731$ . Emphasis is placed on third- and fourth-order spectral moments using the definitions formalised by Antoni (Mech. Syst. Signal Pr., vol. 20 (2), 2006, pp. 282–307), as such statistics are sensitive to transients and provide insight into deviations from Gaussian behaviour in grid turbulence. The higher-order spectral moments are also used to investigate the Reynolds (Péclet) number dependence of the internal intermittency of velocity and passive-scalar fields. The results demonstrate that the evolution of higher-order spectral moments with Reynolds number is strongly dependent on wavenumber. Finally, the relative levels of internal intermittency of the velocity and passive-scalar fields are compared and a higher level of internal intermittency in the inertial subrange of the scalar field is consistently observed, whereas a similar level of internal intermittency is observed for the velocity and passive-scalar fields for the high-Reynolds-number cases as the Kolmogorov length scale is approached.

scholarly journals Quality Measures of Mixing in Turbulent Flow and Effects of Molecular Diffusivity

Fluids ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quoc Nguyen ◽  
Dimitrios Papavassiliou
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Turbulent Flow ◽  
Quality Index ◽  
Schmidt Number ◽  
Wall Layer ◽  
Wall Region ◽  
Molecular Diffusivity ◽  
Mixing Quality ◽  
Schmidt Numbers ◽  
Logarithmic Layer

Results from numerical simulations of the mixing of two puffs of scalars released in a turbulent flow channel are used to introduce a measure of mixing quality, and to investigate the effectiveness of turbulent mixing as a function of the location of the puff release and the molecular diffusivity of the puffs. The puffs are released from instantaneous line sources in the flow field with Schmidt numbers that range from 0.7 to 2400. The line sources are located at different distances from the channel wall, starting from the wall itself, the viscous wall layer, the logarithmic layer, and the channel center. The mixing effectiveness is quantified by following the trajectories of individual particles with a Lagrangian approach and carefully counting the number of particles from both puffs that arrive at different locations in the flow field as a function of time. A new measure, the mixing quality index Ø, is defined as the product of the normalized fraction of particles from the two puffs at a flow location. The mixing quality index can take values from 0, corresponding to no mixing, to 0.25, corresponding to full mixing. The mixing quality in the flow is found to depend on the Schmidt number of the puffs when the two puffs are released in the viscous wall region, while the Schmidt number is not important for the mixing of puffs released outside the logarithmic region.

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