Showing papers on "Turbulence published in 2016"

Reynolds averaged turbulence modelling using deep neural networks with embedded invariance

Abstract: There exists significant demand for improved Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) turbulence models that are informed by and can represent a richer set of turbulence physics. This paper presents a method of using deep neural networks to learn a model for the Reynolds stress anisotropy tensor from high-fidelity simulation data. A novel neural network architecture is proposed which uses a multiplicative layer with an invariant tensor basis to embed Galilean invariance into the predicted anisotropy tensor. It is demonstrated that this neural network architecture provides improved prediction accuracy compared with a generic neural network architecture that does not embed this invariance property. The Reynolds stress anisotropy predictions of this invariant neural network are propagated through to the velocity field for two test cases. For both test cases, significant improvement versus baseline RANS linear eddy viscosity and nonlinear eddy viscosity models is demonstrated.

PIV uncertainty propagation

Abstract: This paper discusses the propagation of the instantaneous uncertainty of PIV measurements to statistical and instantaneous quantities of interest derived from the velocity field. The expression of the uncertainty of vorticity, velocity divergence, mean value and Reynolds stresses is derived. It is shown that the uncertainty of vorticity and velocity divergence requires the knowledge of the spatial correlation between the error of the x and y particle image displacement, which depends upon the measurement spatial resolution. The uncertainty of statistical quantities is often dominated by the random uncertainty due to the finite sample size and decreases with the square root of the effective number of independent samples. Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to assess the accuracy of the uncertainty propagation formulae. Furthermore, three experimental assessments are carried out. In the first experiment, a turntable is used to simulate a rigid rotation flow field. The estimated uncertainty of the vorticity is compared with the actual vorticity error root-mean-square, with differences between the two quantities within 5-10% for different interrogation window sizes and overlap factors. A turbulent jet flow is investigated in the second experimental assessment. The reference velocity, which is used to compute the reference value of the instantaneous flow properties of interest, is obtained with an auxiliary PIV system, which features a higher dynamic range than the measurement system. Finally, the uncertainty quantification of statistical quantities is assessed via PIV measurements in a cavity flow. The comparison between estimated uncertainty and actual error demonstrates the accuracy of the proposed uncertainty propagation methodology.

High-Reynolds number Taylor-Couette turbulence.

Abstract: Taylor-Couette flow, the flow between two coaxial co- or counter-rotating cylinders, is one of the paradigmatic systems in the physics of fluids. The (dimensionless) control parameters are the Reynolds numbers of the inner and outer cylinders, the ratio of the cylinder radii, and the aspect ratio. One key response of the system is the torque required to retain constant angular velocities, which can be connected to the angular velocity transport through the gap. Whereas the low–Reynolds number regime was well explored in the 1980s and 1990s of the past century, in the fully turbulent regime major research activity developed only in the past decade. In this article, we review this recent progress in our understanding of fully developed Taylor-Couette turbulence from the experimental, numerical, and theoretical points of view. We focus on the parameter dependence of the global torque and on the local flow organization, including velocity profiles and boundary layers. Next, we discuss transitions between diff...

Quadrant Analysis in Turbulence Research: History and Evolution

Abstract: Quadrant analysis is a simple, but quite useful, turbulence data-processing technique that has been widely used, principally in the investigation of turbulent shear flows. This article traces the origins of the technique and reviews how it has been applied during the more than 40 years since it was conceived. Applications are highlighted that have expanded the technique beyond its original formulation.

A Physics Informed Machine Learning Approach for Reconstructing Reynolds Stress Modeling Discrepancies Based on DNS Data

Abstract: Turbulence modeling is a critical component in numerical simulations of industrial flows based on Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. However, after decades of efforts in the turbulence modeling community, universally applicable RANS models with predictive capabilities are still lacking. Recently, data-driven methods have been proposed as a promising alternative to the traditional approaches of turbulence model development. In this work we propose a data-driven, physics-informed machine learning approach for predicting discrepancies in RANS modeled Reynolds stresses. The discrepancies are formulated as functions of the mean flow features. By using a modern machine learning technique based on random forests, the discrepancy functions are first trained with benchmark flow data and then used to predict Reynolds stresses discrepancies in new flows. The method is used to predict the Reynolds stresses in the flow over periodic hills by using two training flow scenarios of increasing difficulties: (1) the flow in the same periodic hills geometry yet at a lower Reynolds number, and (2) the flow in a different hill geometry with a similar recirculation zone. Excellent predictive performances were observed in both scenarios, demonstrating the merits of the proposed method. Improvement of RANS modeled Reynolds stresses enabled by the proposed method is an important step towards predictive turbulence modeling, where the ultimate goal is to predict the quantities of interest (e.g., velocity field, drag, lift) more accurately by solving RANS equations with the Reynolds stresses obtained therefrom.

Recent progress in astrophysical plasma turbulence from solar wind observations

Abstract: This paper summarises some of the recent progress that has been made in understanding astrophysical plasma turbulence in the solar wind, from in situ spacecraft observations. At large scales, where the turbulence is predominantly Alfvenic, measurements of critical balance, residual energy and three-dimensional structure are discussed, along with comparison to recent models of strong Alfvenic turbulence. At these scales, a few per cent of the energy is also in compressive fluctuations, and their nature, anisotropy and relation to the Alfvenic component is described. In the small-scale kinetic range, below the ion gyroscale, the turbulence becomes predominantly kinetic Alfven in nature, and measurements of the spectra, anisotropy and intermittency of this turbulence are discussed with respect to recent cascade models. One of the major remaining questions is how the turbulent energy is dissipated, and some recent work on this question, in addition to future space missions which will help to answer it, are briefly discussed.

Directed percolation phase transition to sustained turbulence in Couette flow

Abstract: Decades-old speculation that the transition to turbulence belongs to the directed percolation universality class is confirmed with experimental and numerical data for flow through a quasi-one-dimensional Couette geometry. Turbulence is one of the most frequently encountered non-equilibrium phenomena in nature, yet characterizing the transition that gives rise to turbulence in basic shear flows has remained an elusive task. Although, in recent studies, critical points marking the onset of sustained turbulence1,2,3 have been determined for several such flows, the physical nature of the transition could not be fully explained. In extensive experimental and computational studies we show for the example of Couette flow that the onset of turbulence is a second-order phase transition and falls into the directed percolation universality class. Consequently, the complex laminar–turbulent patterns distinctive for the onset of turbulence in shear flows4,5 result from short-range interactions of turbulent domains and are characterized by universal critical exponents. More generally, our study demonstrates that even high-dimensional systems far from equilibrium such as turbulence exhibit universality at onset and that here the collective dynamics obeys simple rules.

Mean velocity scaling for compressible wall turbulence with heat transfer

Abstract: The current state-of-the-art in accounting for mean property variations in compressible turbulent wall-bounded flows is the Van Driest transformation, which is inaccurate for non-adiabatic walls. An alternative transformation is derived, based on arguments about log-layer scaling and near-wall momentum conservation. The transformation is tested on supersonic turbulent channel flows and boundary layers, and it is found to produce an excellent collapse of the mean velocity profile at different Reynolds numbers, Mach numbers, and rates of wall heat transfer. In addition, the proposed transformation mathematically derives the semi-local scaling of the wall-normal coordinate and unifies the scaling of the velocity, the Reynolds stresses, and the wall-normal coordinate.

The effect of Reynolds number on inertial particle dynamics in isotropic turbulence. Part 1. Simulations without gravitational effects

Abstract: In this study, we analyse the statistics of both individual inertial particles and inertial particle pairs in direct numerical simulations of homogeneous isotropic turbulence in the absence of gravity. The effect of the Taylor microscale Reynolds number, , on the particle statistics is examined over the largest range to date (from to 597), at small, intermediate and large Kolmogorov-scale Stokes numbers . We first explore the effect of preferential sampling on the single-particle statistics and find that low- inertial particles are ejected from both vortex tubes and vortex sheets (the latter becoming increasingly prevalent at higher Reynolds numbers) and preferentially accumulate in regions of irrotational dissipation. We use this understanding of preferential sampling to provide a physical explanation for many of the trends in the particle velocity gradients, kinetic energies and accelerations at low , which are well represented by the model of Chun et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 536, 2005, pp. 219–251). As increases, inertial filtering effects become more important, causing the particle kinetic energies and accelerations to decrease. The effect of inertial filtering on the particle kinetic energies and accelerations diminishes with increasing Reynolds number and is well captured by the models of Abrahamson (Chem. Engng Sci., vol. 30, 1975, pp. 1371–1379) and Zaichik & Alipchenkov (Intl J. Multiphase Flow, vol. 34 (9), 2008, pp. 865–868), respectively. We then consider particle-pair statistics, and focus our attention on the relative velocities and radial distribution functions (RDFs) of the particles, with the aim of understanding the underlying physical mechanisms contributing to particle collisions. The relative velocity statistics indicate that preferential sampling effects are important for and that path-history/non-local effects become increasingly important for . While higher-order relative velocity statistics are influenced by the increased intermittency of the turbulence at high Reynolds numbers, the lower-order relative velocity statistics are only weakly sensitive to changes in Reynolds number at low . The Reynolds-number trends in these quantities at intermediate and large are explained based on the influence of the available flow scales on the path-history and inertial filtering effects. We find that the RDFs peak near of order unity, that they exhibit power-law scaling for low and intermediate and that they are largely independent of Reynolds number for low and intermediate . We use the model of Zaichik & Alipchenkov (New J. Phys., vol. 11, 2009, 103018) to explain the physical mechanisms responsible for these trends, and find that this model is able to capture the quantitative behaviour of the RDFs extremely well when direct numerical simulation data for the structure functions are specified, in agreement with Bragg & Collins (New J. Phys., vol. 16, 2014a, 055013). We also observe that at large , changes in the RDF are related to changes in the scaling exponents of the relative velocity variances. The particle collision kernel closely matches that computed by Rosa et al. (New J. Phys., vol. 15, 2013, 045032) and is found to be largely insensitive to the flow Reynolds number. This suggests that relatively low-Reynolds-number simulations may be able to capture much of the relevant physics of droplet collisions and growth in the adiabatic cores of atmospheric clouds.

On the reduction of aerofoil-turbulence interaction noise associated with wavy leading edges

Abstract: An aerofoil leading-edge prole based on wavy (sinusoidal) protuberances/tubercles is investigated to understand the mechanisms by which they are able to reduce the noise produced through the interaction with turbulent mean flow. Numerical simulations are performed for non-lifting at-plate aerofoils with straight and wavy leading edges (de- noted by SLE and WLE, respectively) subjected to impinging turbulence that is synthetically generated in the upstream zone (freestream Mach number of 0.24). Full three-dimensional Euler (inviscid) solutions are computed for this study thereby eliminating self-noise components. A high-order accurate nite-dierence method and artefact-free boundary conditions are used in the current simulations. Various statistical analysis methods, including frequency spectra, are implemented to aid the understanding of the noise-reduction mechanisms. It is found with WLEs, unlike the SLE, that the surface pressure fluctuations along the leading edge exhibit a signicant source cut-o eect due to geometric obliqueness which leads to reduced levels of radiated sound pressure. It is also found that there exists a phase interference eect particularly prevalent between the peak and the hill centre of the WLE geometry, which contributes to the noise reduction in the mid- to high-frequency range.

Theoretical perspective on the route to turbulence in a pipe

Abstract: The route to turbulence in pipe flow is a complex, nonlinear, spatiotemporal process for which an increasingly clear theoretical understanding has emerged. This understanding is explained to the reader in several steps, exploiting analogies to co-existing thermodynamic phases and to excitable and bistable media. In the end, simple equations encapsulating the keys physical properties of pipe turbulence provide a comprehensive picture of all large-scale states and stages of the transition process. Important among these are metastable localized puffs, localized edge states, puff splitting and interactions between puffs, the critical point for the onset of sustained turbulence via spatiotemporal intermittency (directed percolation), and finally the rise of fully turbulent flow in the form of expanding weak and strong turbulent slugs.

Conditions for validity of mean flow stability analysis

Abstract: This article provides theoretical conditions for the use and meaning of a stability analysis around a mean flow. As such, it may be considered as an extension of the works by McKeon & Sharma (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 658, 2010, pp. 336–382) to non-parallel flows and by Turton et al. (Phys. Rev. E, vol. 91 (4), 2015, 043009) to broadband flows. Considering a Reynolds decomposition of the flow field, the spectral (or temporal Fourier) mode of the fluctuation field is found to be equal to the action on a turbulent forcing term by the resolvent operator arising from linearisation about the mean flow. The main result of the article states that if, at a particular frequency, the dominant singular value of the resolvent is much larger than all others and if the turbulent forcing at this frequency does not display any preferential direction toward one of the suboptimal forcings, then the spectral mode is directly proportional to the dominant optimal response mode of the resolvent at this frequency. Such conditions are generally met in the case of weakly non-parallel open flows exhibiting a convectively unstable mean flow. The spatial structure of the singular mode may in these cases be approximated by a local spatial stability analysis based on parabolised stability equations (PSE). We have also shown that the frequency spectrum of the flow field at any arbitrary location of the domain may be predicted from the frequency evolution of the dominant optimal response mode and the knowledge of the frequency spectrum at one or more points. Results are illustrated in the case of a high Reynolds number turbulent backward facing step flow.

A universal transition to turbulence in channel flow

Abstract: Experiments and simulations of the transition to turbulence in fluid flow through a quasi-2D channel reveal critical exponents consistent with directed percolation — long conjectured to be the universality class associated with the transition. Transition from laminar to turbulent flow drastically changes the mixing, transport, and drag properties of fluids, yet when and how turbulence emerges is elusive even for simple flow within pipes and rectangular channels1,2. Unlike the onset of temporal disorder, which is identified as the universal route to chaos in confined flows3,4, characterization of the onset of spatiotemporal disorder has been an outstanding challenge because turbulent domains irregularly decay or spread as they propagate downstream. Here, through extensive experimental investigation of channel flow, we identify a distinctive transition with critical behaviour. Turbulent domains continuously injected from an inlet ultimately decayed, or in contrast, spread depending on flow rates. Near a transition point, critical behaviour was observed. We investigate both spatial and temporal dynamics of turbulent clusters, measuring four critical exponents, a universal scaling function and a scaling relation, all in agreement with the (2 + 1)-dimensional directed percolation universality class.

Topographic generation of submesoscale centrifugal instability and energy dissipation.

Abstract: Most of the ocean kinetic energy is contained in the large scale currents and the vigorous geostrophic eddy field, at horizontal scales of order 100 km. To achieve equilibrium the geostrophic currents must viscously dissipate their kinetic energy at much smaller scale. However, geostrophic turbulence is characterized by an inverse cascade of energy towards larger scale, and the pathways of energy toward dissipation are still in question. Here, we present a mechanism, in the context of the Gulf Stream, where energy is transferred from the geostrophic flow to submesoscale wakes through anticyclonic vertical vorticity generation in the bottom boundary layer. The submesoscale turbulence leads to elevated local dissipation and mixing outside the oceanic boundary layers. This process is generic for boundary slope currents that flow in the direction of Kelvin wave propagation. Topographic generation of submesoscale flows potentially provides a new and significant route to energy dissipation for geostrophic flows.

The link between turbulence, magnetic fields, filaments, and star formation in the central molecular zone cloud G0.253+0.016

Abstract: Star formation is primarily controlled by the interplay between gravity, turbulence, and magnetic fields. However, the turbulence and magnetic fields in molecular clouds near the Galactic Center may differ substantially from spiral-arm clouds. Here we determine the physical parameters of the central molecular zone (CMZ) cloud G0.253+0.016, its turbulence, magnetic field and filamentary structure. Using column-density maps based on dust-continuum emission observations with ALMA+Herschel, we identify filaments and show that at least one dense core is located along them. We measure the filament width W_fil=0.17$\pm$0.08pc and the sonic scale {\lambda}_sonic=0.15$\pm$0.11pc of the turbulence, and find W_fil~{\lambda}_sonic. A strong velocity gradient is seen in the HNCO intensity-weighted velocity maps obtained with ALMA+Mopra, which is likely caused by large-scale shearing of G0.253+0.016, producing a wide double-peaked velocity PDF. After subtracting the gradient to isolate the turbulent motions, we find a nearly Gaussian velocity PDF typical for turbulence. We measure the total and turbulent velocity dispersion, 8.8$\pm$0.2km/s and 3.9$\pm$0.1km/s, respectively. Using magnetohydrodynamical simulations, we find that G0.253+0.016's turbulent magnetic field B_turb=130$\pm$50$\mu$G is only ~1/10 of the ordered field component. Combining these measurements, we reconstruct the dominant turbulence driving mode in G0.253+0.016 and find a driving parameter b=0.22$\pm$0.12, indicating solenoidal (divergence-free) driving. We compare this to spiral-arm clouds, which typically have a significant compressive (curl-free) driving component (b>0.4). Motivated by previous reports of strong shearing motions in the CMZ, we speculate that shear causes the solenoidal driving in G0.253+0.016 and show that this reduces the star formation rate (SFR) by a factor of 6.9 compared to typical nearby clouds.

Numerical simulation of heat transfer and turbulent flow of water nanofluids copper oxide in rectangular microchannel with semi-attached rib

Abstract: In this research, the effect of utilizing semi-attached rib on heat transfer and liquid turbulent flow of nanofluid water–copper oxide in three-dimensional rectangular microchannel has been investigated. The results of numerical examination of this study in comparison to those of smooth channel have also been evaluated. The range of Reynolds numbers is between 10,000 and 60,000 and the volume fraction of copper oxide nanoparticle in 0%, 2%, and 4% was examined. In this numerical simulation, the effects of the changes in parameters such as dimensions of semi-attached rib, volume fraction of the nanoparticle, and Reynolds number were considered. The results of this study showed that utilizing semi-attached rib in microchannel with a ratio of 0 < R/W ≤ 0.325 in producing stronger vortices, which causes better mixture in fluid layers, is weaker than that with tooth mode of R/W = 0 ratio. However, the main advantage of using tooth with a ratio of 0 < R/W ≤ 0.325 in comparison to ordinary tooth is the increase ...

Performance assessment of OpenFOAM and FLOW-3D in the numerical modeling of a low Reynolds number hydraulic jump

Abstract: A comparative performance analysis of the CFD platforms OpenFOAM and FLOW-3D is presented, focusing on a 3D swirling turbulent flow: a steady hydraulic jump at low Reynolds number. Turbulence is treated using RANS approach RNG k-e. A Volume Of Fluid (VOF) method is used to track the air-water interface, consequently aeration is modeled using an Eulerian-Eulerian approach. Structured meshes of cubic elements are used to discretize the channel geometry. The numerical model accuracy is assessed comparing representative hydraulic jump variables (sequent depth ratio, roller length, mean velocity profiles, velocity decay or free surface profile) to experimental data. The model results are also compared to previous studies to broaden the result validation. Both codes reproduced the phenomenon under study concurring with experimental data, although special care must be taken when swirling flows occur. Both models can be used to reproduce the hydraulic performance of energy dissipation structures at low Reynolds numbers. Two CFD models: OpenFOAM and FLOW-3D for hydraulic jump in low Reynolds numbers.Representative variables are compared for the two CFD results and experimental data.The model results are also compared to previous studies with good agreement.Both CFD codes had good behavior, but special care is required with swirling flows.A quantification of both models accuracy relating to studied variables is proposed.

Spatial Characteristics of Roughness Sublayer Mean Flow and Turbulence Over a Realistic Urban Surface

Abstract: Single-point measurements from towers in cities cannot properly quantify the impact of all terms in the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) budget and are often not representative of horizontally-averaged quantities over the entire urban domain. A series of large-eddy simulations (LES) is here performed to quantify the relevance of non-measurable terms, and to explore the spatial variability of the flow field over and within an urban geometry in the city of Basel, Switzerland. The domain has been chosen to be centered around a tower where single-point turbulence measurements at six heights are available. Buildings are represented through a discrete-forcing immersed boundary method and are based on detailed real geometries from a surveying dataset. The local model results at the tower location compare well against measurements under near-neutral stability conditions and for the two prevailing wind directions chosen for the analysis. This confirms that LES in conjunction with the immersed boundary condition is a valuable model to study turbulence and dispersion within a real urban roughness sublayer (RSL). The simulations confirm that mean velocity profiles in the RSL are characterized by an inflection point $$z_{\gamma }$$ located above the average building height $$z_\mathrm{h}$$ . TKE in the RSL is primarily produced above $$z_{\gamma }$$ , and turbulence is transported down into the urban canopy layer. Pressure transport is found to be significant in the very-near-wall regions. Further, spatial variations of time-averaged variables and non-measurable dispersive terms are important in the RSL above a real urban surface and should therefore be considered in future urban canopy parametrization developments.

Turbulent drag reduction over air- and liquid- impregnated surfaces

Abstract: Results on turbulent skin friction reduction over air- and liquid-impregnated surfaces are presented for aqueous Taylor-Couette flow. The surfaces are fabricated by mechanically texturing the inner cylinder and chemically modifying the features to make them either non-wetting with respect to water (air-infused, or superhydrophobic case), or wetting with respect to an oil that is immiscible with water (liquid-infused case). The drag reduction, which remains fairly constant over the Reynolds number range tested (100 ≤ Reτ ≤ 140), is approximately 10% for the superhydrophobic surface and 14% for the best liquid-infused surface. Our results suggest that liquid-infused surfaces may enable robust drag reduction in high Reynolds number turbulent flows without the shortcomings associated with conventional superhydrophobic surfaces, namely, failure under conditions of high hydrodynamic pressure and turbulent flow fluctuations.

Large-scale magnetic fields at high Reynolds numbers in magnetohydrodynamic simulations.

Abstract: The 11-year solar magnetic cycle shows a high degree of coherence in spite of the turbulent nature of the solar convection zone. It has been found in recent high-resolution magnetohydrodynamics simulations that the maintenance of a large-scale coherent magnetic field is difficult with small viscosity and magnetic diffusivity (≲10 (12) square centimenters per second). We reproduced previous findings that indicate a reduction of the energy in the large-scale magnetic field for lower diffusivities and demonstrate the recovery of the global-scale magnetic field using unprecedentedly high resolution. We found an efficient small-scale dynamo that suppresses small-scale flows, which mimics the properties of large diffusivity. As a result, the global-scale magnetic field is maintained even in the regime of small diffusivities-that is, large Reynolds numbers.