Energy Balance in Turbulent Flow

The Reynolds equation is given as

U i U i 1 P d 2U i
+Uj = + u i u j . (1)
t x j x i x j x j x j

Multiplying (1) by U i and rearranging terms, one finds

UiUi P U U

2 UiUi
i i + u u U i
+Uj = Ui + U j u i u j +
t x j 2 x i x j x j 2 x x x j
i j
1
44424443 1444 424444 3 1442443
14243 1424
j j 3
convection diffusion by turbulence viscous diffusion fluctuation energy
viscous production
dissipation
(2)

where

UiUi
+Uj = convection,
t x j 2
P
U i + U j u i u j = diffusion by turbulence,
x i
2
UiUi
= viscous diffusion,
x j x j 2
U i U i
= direct viscous dissipation,
x j x j
U i
u i u j = fluctuation energy production.
x j

Equation (2) is the statement of balance of mean mechanical energy for the mean motion.

Subtracting (1) from the Navier-Stokes equation, it follows that

u i u U i u 1 p 2 u i u u
+ U j i + u j + u j i = + + i j (3)
t x j x j x j x j x j x j x j

Multiplying (3) by u i and taking expected value, we find the equations of balance
turbulence energy fluctuation. i.e.,

ME637 1 G. Ahmadi
 k k U i u j p u i u i u j 2k u u i
+ Uj = u i u j + + i
t x j x x j 2 x x j x j x j
1424 43 4 14243j 14 4424443 1 42j 4
3 142 43
Convection Pr oduction turbulentDiffusion Viscous Dissipation
Dissipation
(4)
u i u i
where k = is the fluctuation kinetic energy and
2

k k
+Uj = convection
t x j
U i
u i u j = production
x j
u j p u i u i u j
+ = turbulent diffusion
x j 2
2k
= viscous diffusion
x j x j
u i u i
= dissipation
x j x j

ME637 2 G. Ahmadi
 Energy Equation in a Pure Shear Flow
The exact (unclosed) energy equation is given by

D u i u i p u i u i U i p u j
=
x j u j ( + 2 ) u i u j x + x
Dt 2 j j

Note that the last term is zero. y U(y)

For a pure shear flow,

U = (U 1 ( y),0,0) and = = U = 0.
x z

The energy equation then becomes

p u i u i U 1 p u j
0= u 2 ( + ) u 1u 2 + .
y 2 y x j

1 2 1 2 1
The energy equations for u 1 , u 2 , and u 32 are given as
2 2 2

1 u 1u 1 U 1 1 p u 1
( u 12 ): 0= u 2 u 1 u 2 +
2 y 2 y 3 x

1 p u 2 u 2 1 p u 2
( u 22 ): 0= u 2 ( + ) +
2 y 2 3 y

1 u 3 u 3 1 p u 3
( u 32 ): 0= u 2 ( ) +
2 y 2 3 z

u 12
It is observed that the entire production is for and there is no direct
2
production of u 22 and u 32 . Therefore, u 2 and u 3 receive their energy from the
u 2 u
pressure-velocity interaction terms. That is, p and p 3 must be positive and
y z
u 1 u2 u2
p must be negative. In most flows, 1 is twice as large as 2 and u 32 .
x 2 2

ME637 3 G. Ahmadi