Professional Documents
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(Turbulence Modeling)
Motivation
For the Study of Turbulent Flows
Objective
To provide an overview of turbulence and its modeling
Mainly cover
What is turbulence?
Types of turbulent flows
How turbulence is generated
Length and time scales in turbulent flow
Prediction methods
Turbulence models
Selecting turbulence model for your application
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Motion of clouds
Characteristics of Turbulence
Turbulence is very difficult to define.
It is usual to describe turbulence by listing its features:
In turbulent flow
Adjacent layers continually mix.
A net transfer of momentum occurs because of the mixing of fluid elements from
layers with different mean velocity.
This mixing is a far more effective means of transferring momentum than viscous
stresses.
Consequently, the mean velocity profile tends to be more uniform in turbulent flow.
1. Jet
2. Mixing Layer
3. Wake
Introduction to Transition
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Kolmogorov Scales
The scales of turbulence can be easily established for
smallest eddies if one uses Kolmogorov universal
equilibrium theorem which states:
Rate of transfer of energy from larger eddies to
smaller eddies is approximately equal to the dissipation
of energy to heat by the smallest eddies
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Where
Similarly
Turbulence Models
A turbulence model is a computational procedure to close the
system of mean flow equations.
We only need to know how turbulence affected the mean flow.
In particular we need expressions for the Reynolds stresses.
For a turbulence model to be useful it:
o must have wide applicability;
o be accurate;
o Simple;
o and economical to run.
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A turbulence model which is not written in terms of the boundary layer quantities
was introduced by Baldwin and Lomax. For this the inner region is approximated
as
can be written as
or
The outer region is approximated by
Disadvantages
Completely incapable of
describing flows with
separation and recirculation.
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Model
Strengths
Weaknesses
SpalartAllmaras
STD k-
Robust, economical,
reasonably accurate; long
accumulated performance
data.
RNG k-
Reynolds
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Example
Consider a two dimensional CFD case of the flow between two
parallel plates to demonstrate the laminar and turbulent nature of
the fluid flow. Using CFD observe the velocity and viscosity profiles in
the fully developed region with a working fluid taken as air for inlet
velocities of 0.02m/s and 1m/s.
Contd..(Example)
Velocity profile
Viscosity profile
Turbulent K. E profile
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Accuracy requirement
to evaluate the grids resolution required for a certain accuracy
Resources requirement
to evaluate the need for sophisticated turbulence models
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Contd..
Effect of Turbulence Models on Flow over an Airfoil
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Contd..
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Concluding Remarks
Major worry about turbulence modeling is that one cannot
estimate the errors of computer results
There is no better way to calculate turbulent flows unless we deal
with very low Re and simple geometries.
This may change in future with improvements in computer technology