Predicting equilibrium states with Reynolds stress closures in channel flow and homogeneous shear flow

Unstable equilibrium solutions in a homogeneous shear flow with sinuous (streamwise-shift-reflection and spanwise-shift-rotation) symmetry are numerically found in large-eddy simulations (LES) with no kinetic viscosity. The small-scale properties are determined by the mixing length scale $l_{S}$ used to define eddy viscosity, and the large-scale motion is induced by the mean shear at the integral scale, which is limited by the spanwise box dimension $L_{z}$. The fraction $R_{S}=L_{z}/l_{S}$, which plays the role of a Reynolds number, is used as a numerical continuation parameter. It is shown that equilibrium solutions appear by a saddle-node bifurcation as $R_{S}$ increases, and that the flow structures resemble those in plane Couette flow with the same sinuous symmetry. The vortical structures of both lower- and upper-branch solutions become spontaneously localised in the vertical direction. The lower-branch solution is an edge state at low $R_{S}$, and takes the form of a thin critical layer as $R_{S}$ increases, as in the asymptotic theory of generic shear flow at high Reynolds numbers. On the other hand, the upper-branch solutions are characterised by a tall velocity streak with multiscale multiple vortical structures. At the higher end of $R_{S}$, an incipient multiscale structure is found. The LES turbulence occasionally visits vertically localised states whose vortical structure resembles the present vertically localised LES equilibria.

Download Full-text

An explicit algebraic Reynolds-stress and scalar-flux model for stably stratified flows

Journal of Fluid Mechanics ◽

10.1017/jfm.2013.116 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 723 ◽

pp. 91-125 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

W. M. J. Lazeroms ◽

G. Brethouwer ◽

S. Wallin ◽

A. V. Johansson

Keyword(s):

Heat Flux ◽

Kinetic Energy ◽

Temperature Gradient ◽

Reynolds Stress ◽

Turbulent Heat Flux ◽

Turbulent Heat ◽

Homogeneous Shear ◽

Self Consistent ◽

The Mean ◽

Homogeneous Shear Flow

AbstractThis work describes the derivation of an algebraic model for the Reynolds stresses and turbulent heat flux in stably stratified turbulent flows, which are mutually coupled for this type of flow. For general two-dimensional mean flows, we present a correct way of expressing the Reynolds-stress anisotropy and the (normalized) turbulent heat flux as tensorial combinations of the mean strain rate, the mean rotation rate, the mean temperature gradient and gravity. A system of linear equations is derived for the coefficients in these expansions, which can easily be solved with computer algebra software for a specific choice of the model constants. The general model is simplified in the case of parallel mean shear flows where the temperature gradient is aligned with gravity. For this case, fully explicit and coupled expressions for the Reynolds-stress tensor and heat-flux vector are given. A self-consistent derivation of this model would, however, require finding a root of a polynomial equation of sixth-order, for which no simple analytical expression exists. Therefore, the nonlinear part of the algebraic equations is modelled through an approximation that is close to the consistent formulation. By using the framework of a$K\text{{\ndash}} \omega $model (where$K$is turbulent kinetic energy and$\omega $an inverse time scale) and, where needed, near-wall corrections, the model is applied to homogeneous shear flow and turbulent channel flow, both with stable stratification. For the case of homogeneous shear flow, the model predicts a critical Richardson number of 0.25 above which the turbulent kinetic energy decays to zero. The channel-flow results agree well with DNS data. Furthermore, the model is shown to be robust and approximately self-consistent. It also fulfils the requirements of realizability.

Download Full-text

Anisotropic clustering of inertial particles in homogeneous shear flow

Journal of Fluid Mechanics ◽

10.1017/s002211200900648x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 629 ◽

pp. 25-39 ◽

Cited By ~ 63

Author(s):

P. GUALTIERI ◽

F. PICANO ◽

C. M. CASCIOLA

Keyword(s):

Relaxation Time ◽

Shear Flow ◽

Large Scale ◽

Inertial Particles ◽

Spatial Homogeneity ◽

Homogeneous Shear ◽

Multi Scale ◽

Angular Distribution Function ◽

Homogeneous Shear Flow ◽

Anisotropic Clustering

Recently, clustering of inertial particles in turbulence has been thoroughly analysed for statistically homogeneous isotropic flows. Phenomenologically, spatial homogeneity of particle configurations is broken by the advection of a range of eddies determined by the Stokes relaxation time of the particles. This in turn results in a multi-scale distribution of local particle concentration and voids. Much less is known concerning anisotropic flows. Here, by addressing direct numerical simulations (DNS) of a statistically steady particle-laden homogeneous shear flow, we provide evidence that the mean shear preferentially orients particle patterns. By imprinting anisotropy on large-scale velocity fluctuations, the shear indirectly affects the geometry of the clusters. Quantitative evaluation is provided by a purposely designed tool, the angular distribution function (ADF) of particle pairs, which allows to address the anisotropy content of particle aggregates on a scale-by-scale basis. The data provide evidence that, depending on the Stokes relaxation time of the particles, anisotropic clustering may occur even in the range of scales in which the carrier phase velocity field is already recovering isotropy. The strength of the singularity in the anisotropic component of the ADF quantifies the level of fine-scale anisotropy, which may even reach values of more than 30% direction-dependent variation in the probability to find two closeby particles at viscous-scale separation.

Download Full-text