On Coarse Grids Simulation of Compressible Mixing Layer Flows Using Vorticity Confinement

In this work, the capability and performance of the vorticity confinement (VC) implemented in a high-order accurate flow solver in predicting two-dimensional (2D) compressible mixing layer flows on coarse grids are investigated. Here, the system of governing equations with incorporation of the VC in the formulation is numerically solved by the fourth-order compact finite difference scheme. To stabilize the numerical solution, a low-pass high-order filter is applied, and the nonreflective boundary conditions are used at the farfield and outflow boundaries to minimize the reflections. At first, the numerical results without applying the VC are validated by available direct numerical simulations (DNSs) for a low Reynolds number mixing layer. Then, the calculations using a range of VC levels are performed for a high Reynolds number mixing layer and the results are thoroughly compared with those of available large eddy simulations (LESs). The study shows that, with applying the vortex identification method, more accurate results are obtained in the slow laminar region of the mixing layer. A sensitivity study is also performed to examine the effect of different numerical parameters to reasonably provide more accurate results. It is shown that the local VC introduced based on the artificial viscosity coefficient and the vorticity thickness can improve the accuracy of the results in the turbulent region of the mixing layer compared with those of LESs. It is found that the solution methodology proposed can reasonably preserve the vortices in the flowfield and the results are comparable with those of LESs on fairly coarser grids and thus the computational costs can be considerably decreased.

Large Eddy Simulation of Two-Phase Mixing Layer Flows in the Scramjet

To study the dispersion of fuel droplets in the supersonic flow and reveal the momentum and heat exchanges between two phases, a large eddy simulation (LES) and particle Lagrangian tracking model were employed to numerically simulate two-phase mixing layer flows, using the one-way coupling method. The velocity fluctuation disturbances were added to inspire the flow instabilities. The motions of droplets in different diameters and droplets’ response to the large scale eddies were analyzed. The results indicated that droplets of 1micro diameter below are corresponded with the motions of coherent vortexes in the mixing layer. The more intense momentum and heat exchange are performed with decreasing the droplet’s diameter. The well mixing of fuel droplets in turbulence would make the combustion preparedness more sufficient. The research conclusions are of important academic value for further analyzing the two-phase dynamics in the scramjet.

Temperature Corrected Turbulence Model for High Temperature Jet Flow

It is well known that the two-equation turbulence models under-predict mixing in the shear layer for high temperature jet flows. These turbulence models were developed and calibrated for room temperature, low Mach number, and plane mixing layer flows. In the present study, four existing modifications to the two-equation turbulence model are implemented in PAB3D and their effect is assessed for high temperature jet flows. In addition, a new temperature gradient correction to the eddy viscosity term is tested and calibrated. The new model was found to be in the best agreement with experimental data for subsonic and supersonic jet flows at both low and high temperatures.

Effects of molecular diffusivities on counter-gradient scalar and momentum transfer in strongly stable stratification

The effects of molecular diffusivities of heat and mass on the counter-gradient scalar and momentum transfer in strongly stable stratification are experimentally investigated in unsheared and sheared stratified water mixing-layer flows downstream of turbulence-generating grids. Experiments are carried out in two kinds of stably stratified water flows. In the case of thermal stratification, the difference between the turbulent fluxes of an active scalar (heat with the Prandtl number of Pr ≈ 6) and a passive scalar (mass with the Schmidt number of Sc ≈ 600) is investigated. In the case of salt stratification, the effects of the molecular diffusion of the active scalar (salt) with a very high Schmidt number of Sc ≈ 600 on the counter-gradient scalar transfer is studied. Comparisons of the effects of molecular diffusivities are also made between thermally stratified water and air (Pr ≈ 0.7) flows. Further, the effects of mean shear on the counter-gradient scalar and momentum transfer are investigated for both stratified cases. Instantaneous temperature, concentration and streamwise and vertical velocities are simultaneously measured using a combined technique with a resistance thermometer, a laser-induced fluorescence method, and a laser-Doppler velocimeter with high spatial resolution. Turbulent scalar fluxes, joint probability density functions, and cospectra are estimated.The results of the first case show that both active heat and passive mass develop counter-gradient fluxes but that the counter-gradient flux of passive mass is about 10% larger than that of active heat, mostly due to molecular diffusion effects at small scales. The counter-gradient scalar transfer mechanism in stable stratification can be explained by considering the relative balance between the available potential energy and the turbulent kinetic energy as in Schumann (1987). In thermally and salt-stratified water mixing-layer flows with the active scalars of high Prandtl and Schmidt numbers, the buoyancy-induced motions with finger-like structures first contribute to the counter-gradient scalar fluxes at small scales, and then the large-scale motions, which bring fluid back to its original levels, generate the counter-gradient fluxes at large scales. The contribution of the small-scale motions to the counter-gradient fluxes in stratified water flows is quite different from that in stratified air flows. The higher Prandtl or Schmidt number of the active scalar generates both the stronger buoyancy effects and the longer time-oscillation period of the counter-gradient scalar fluxes. The time-oscillation occurs at large scales but the counter-gradient fluxes at small scales persist without oscillating. The mean shear acts to reduce the counter-gradient scalar and momentum transfer at large scales, and therefore the counter-gradient fluxes in sheared stratified flows can be seen only in very strong stratification. The behaviour of the counter-gradient momentum flux in strong stratification is quite similar to that of the counter-gradient scalar flux.

Fluid Mixing With Unequal Free-Stream Turbulence Intensities

The rate of mixing between parallel fluid streams depends on the turbulence intensity in each stream, and, if these turbulence levels are unequal, on whether the higher intensity occurs in the faster stream or the slower. These dependencies can be well predicted by the finite-difference methods using existing analytical models of turbulent motion. Experimental and predicted results for plane mixing-layer flows are compared for different stream velocity ratios and turbulence levels.