Small‐scale features of vorticity and passive scalar fields in homogeneous isotropic turbulence

1991 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 1587-1597 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Ruetsch ◽  
M. R. Maxey
Keyword(s):  
Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Scalar Fields ◽  
Passive Scalar ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence

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.

Small-scale energy cascade in homogeneous isotropic turbulence

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Ibrahim Cheikh ◽  
James Chen ◽  
Mingjun Wei
Keyword(s):  
Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Energy Cascade ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence

scholarly journals Spectral modelling for passive scalar dynamics in homogeneous anisotropic turbulence

2016 ◽  
Vol 799 ◽  
pp. 159-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Briard ◽  
T. Gomez ◽  
C. Cambon
Keyword(s):  
Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Passive Scalar ◽  
Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Scalar Flux ◽  
Anisotropic Turbulence ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
High Reynolds ◽  
Shear Driven Flows ◽  
Very High

The present work aims at developing a spectral model for a passive scalar field and its associated scalar flux in homogeneous anisotropic turbulence. This is achieved using the paradigm of eddy-damped quasi-normal Markovian (EDQNM) closure extended to anisotropic flows. In order to assess the validity of this approach, the model is compared to several detailed direct numerical simulations (DNS) and experiments of shear-driven flows and isotropic turbulence with a mean scalar gradient at moderate Reynolds numbers. This anisotropic modelling is then used to investigate the passive scalar dynamics at very high Reynolds numbers. In the framework of homogeneous isotropic turbulence submitted to a mean scalar gradient, decay and growth exponents for the cospectrum and scalar energies are obtained analytically and assessed numerically thanks to EDQNM closure. With the additional presence of a mean shear, the scaling of the scalar flux and passive scalar spectra in the inertial range are investigated and confirm recent theoretical predictions. Finally, it is found that, in shear-driven flows, the small scales of the scalar second-order moments progressively return to isotropy when the Reynolds number increases.

scholarly journals Cloud droplet diffusional growth in homogeneous isotropic turbulence: bin microphysics versus Lagrangian superdroplet simulations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wojciech W. Grabowski ◽  
Lois Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Time Scale ◽  
Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Spectral Width ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Computational Domain ◽  
Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Diffusional Growth ◽  
Droplet Concentration ◽  
Bin Microphysics

Abstract. Increase of the spectral width of initially monodisperse population of cloud droplets in homogeneous isotropic turbulence is investigated applying a finite-difference fluid flow model combined with either Eulerian bin microphysics or Lagrangian particle-based scheme. The turbulence is forced applying a variant of the so-called linear forcing method that maintains the mean turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and the TKE partitioning between velocity components. The latter is important for maintaining the quasi-steady forcing of the supersaturation fluctuations that drive the increase of the spectral width. We apply a large computational domain, 643 m3, one of the domains considered in Thomas et al. (2020). The simulations apply 1 m grid length and are in the spirit of the implicit large eddy simulation (ILES), that is, with explicit small-scale dissipation provided by the model numerics. This is in contrast to the scaled-up direct numerical simulation (DNS) applied in Thomas et al. (2020). Two TKE intensities and three different droplet concentrations are considered. Analytic solutions derived in Sardina et al. (2015), valid for the case when the turbulence time scale is much larger than the droplet phase relaxation time scale, are used to guide the comparison between the two microphysics simulation techniques. The Lagrangian approach reproduces the scalings relatively well. Representing the spectral width increase in time is more challenging for the bin microphysics because appropriately high resolution in the bin space is needed. The bin width of 0.5 μm is only sufficient for the lowest droplet concentration, 26 cm−3. For the highest droplet concentration, 650 cm−3, even an order of magnitude smaller bin size is not sufficient. The scalings are not expected to be valid for the lowest droplet concentration and the high TKE case, and the two microphysics schemes represent similar departures. Finally, because the fluid flow is the same for all simulations featuring either low or high TKE, one can compare point-by-point simulation results. Such a comparison shows very close temperature and water vapor point-by-point values across the computational domain, and larger differences between simulated mean droplet radii and spectral width. The latter are explained by fundamental differences in the two simulation methodologies, numerical diffusion in the Eulerian bin approach and relatively small number of Lagrangian particles that are used in the particle-based microphysics.

Kinematics of Small Scale Motions in Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence

1991 ◽  
pp. 422-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. R. Hunt ◽  
J. C. H. Fung ◽  
N. A. Malik ◽  
R. J. Perkins ◽  
J. C. Vassilicos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence

Computing Blunt Body Flows on Coarse Grids Using Vorticity Confinement

2002 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 876-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Fan ◽  
Y. Wenren ◽  
W. Dietz ◽  
M. Xiao ◽  
J. Steinhoff
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layers ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Scalar Fields ◽  
Passive Scalar ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Discrete Equations ◽  
Vorticity Confinement ◽  
Helicopter Landing

Over the last few years, a new flow computational methodology, vorticity confinement, has been shown to be very effective in treating concentrated vortical regions. These include thin vortex filaments which can be numerically convected over arbitrary distances on coarse Eulerian grids, while requiring only ∼2 grid cells across their cross section. They also include boundary layers on surfaces “immersed” in nonconforming uniform Cartesian grids, with no requirement for grid refinement or complex logic near the surface. In this paper we use vorticity confinement to treat flow over blunt bodies, including attached and separating boundary layers, and resulting turbulent wakes. In the wake it serves as a new, simple effective large-eddy simulation (LES). The same basic idea is applied to all of these features: At the smallest scales (∼2 cells) the vortical structures are captured and treated, effectively, as solitary waves that are solutions of nonlinear discrete equations on the grid. The method does not attempt to accurately discretize the Euler/Navier-Stokes partial differential equations (pde’s) for these small scales, but, rather, serves as an implicit, nonlinear model of the structures, directly on the grid. The method also allows the boundary layer to be effectively “captured.” In the turbulent wake, where there are many scales, small structures represent an effective small scale energy sink. However, they do not have the unphysical spreading due to numerical diffusion at these scales, which is present in conventional computational methods. The basic modeling idea is similar to that used in shock capturing, where intrinsically discrete equations are satisfied in thin, modeled regions. It is argued that, for realistic high Reynolds number flows, this direct, grid-based modeling approach is much more effective than first formulating model pde’s for the small scale, turbulent vortical regions and then discretizing them. Results are presented for three-dimensional flows over round and square cylinders and a realistic helicopter landing ship. Comparisons with experimental data are given. Finally, a new simpler formulation of vorticity confinement is given together with a related formulation for confinement of passive scalar fields.

Identifying the tangle of vortex tubes in homogeneous isotropic turbulence

2019 ◽  
Vol 874 ◽  
pp. 952-978 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiying Xiong ◽  
Yue Yang
Keyword(s):  
Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Time Instant ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Time Step ◽  
Vortex Sheets ◽  
Helical Geometry ◽  
Vortex Tubes

We extend the vortex-surface field (VSF), whose isosurface is a vortex surface consisting of vortex lines, to identify vortex tubes and sheets in homogeneous isotropic turbulence. The VSF at a time instant is constructed by solving a pseudo-transport equation. This equation is convected by a given instantaneous vorticity obtained from direct numerical simulation. In each pseudo-time step, we develop a novel local optimization algorithm to minimize a hybrid VSF constraint, balancing the accuracy and smoothness of VSF solutions. This key improvement makes the numerical construction of VSFs feasible for arbitrarily complex flow fields, as a general flow diagnostic tool. In the visualization of VSF isosurfaces in decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence, the initial curved vortex sheets first evolve into vortex tubes, and then the vortex tubes are stretched and tangled, constituting a complex network. Some vortex tubes exhibit helical geometry, which suggests the important role of vortex twisting in the generation of small-scale structures in energy cascade.

Micro-structure and Lagrangian statistics of the scalar field with a mean gradient in isotropic turbulence

2003 ◽  
Vol 474 ◽  
pp. 193-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. BRETHOUWER ◽  
J. C. R. HUNT ◽  
F. T. M. NIEUWSTADT
Keyword(s):  
Scalar Field ◽  
Isotropic Turbulence ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Compressive Strain ◽  
Scalar Fields ◽  
Scalar Dissipation ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Length Scale ◽  
Random Forcing ◽  
Kolmogorov Length Scale

This paper presents an analysis and numerical study of the relations between the small-scale velocity and scalar fields in fully developed isotropic turbulence with random forcing of the large scales and with an imposed constant mean scalar gradient. Simulations have been performed for a range of Reynolds numbers from Reλ = 22 to 130 and Schmidt numbers from Sc = 1/25 to 144.The simulations show that for all values of Sc [ges ] 0.1 steep scalar gradients are concentrated in intermittently distributed sheet-like structures with a thickness approximately equal to the Batchelor length scale η/Sc½ with η the Kolmogorov length scale. We observe that these sheets or cliffs are preferentially aligned perpendicular to the direction of the mean scalar gradient. Due to this preferential orientation of the cliffs the small-scale scalar field is anisotropic and this is an example of direct coupling between the large- and small-scale fluctuations in a turbulent field. The numerical simulations also show that the steep cliffs are formed by straining motions that compress the scalar field along the imposed mean scalar gradient in a very short time period, proportional to the Kolmogorov time scale. This is valid for the whole range of Sc. The generation of these concentration gradients is amplified by rotation of the scalar gradient in the direction of compressive strain. The combination of high strain rate and the alignment results in a large increase of the scalar gradient and therefore in a large scalar dissipation rate.These results of our numerical study are discussed in the context of experimental results (Warhaft 2000) and kinematic simulations (Holzer & Siggia 1994). The theoretical arguments developed here follow from earlier work of Batchelor & Townsend (1956), Betchov (1956) and Dresselhaus & Tabor (1991).

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