Direct numerical simulation of compressible turbulent flows

This paper reviews the authors＇ recent studies on compressible turbulence by using direct numerical simulation （DNS）,including DNS of isotropic（decaying） turbulence, turbulent mixing-layer,turbulent boundary-layer and shock/boundary-layer interaction.Turbulence statistics, compressibility effects,turbulent kinetic energy budget and coherent structures are studied based on the DNS data.The mechanism of sound source in turbulent flows is also analyzed. It shows that DNS is a powerful tool for the mechanistic study of compressible turbulence.

THE NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF TURBULENT FLOWS OF NEWTONIAN AND A SORT OF NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID IN 180-DEGREE SQUARE SECTIONED BEND

Using k- model of turbulence and measured wall functions, turbulent flows of Newtonian (pure water) andasort of non-Newtonian fluid (dilute, drag-reduction solution of polymer) in a 180-degree curved bend were simulated numerically. The calculated results agreed well with the measured velocity profiles. On the basis of calculation and measurement, appropriateness of turbulence model to complicated flow in which the large-scale vortex exists was analyzed and discussed.

Numerical Simulation on Gas-Solid Two-Phase Turbulent Flow in FCC Riser Reactors(Ⅱ) Numerical Simulation on the Gas-Solid Two-Phase Turbulent Flow

Numerical simulation on the flow,heat transfer and cracking reactions in commercial fluid catalyticcracking(FCC)riser reactors were carried out employing the developed turbulent gas-solid two-phase flow-reac-tion model for FCC riser reactors given in Part Ⅰ of the present paper.Detailed information about the turbulentflow fields in the riser reactor obtained revealed the basic characteristics of the gas-solid two-phase turbulentflows when heat transfer and catalytic cracking reactions were co-existing in the riser.Results showed that thedistributions of the flow,the turbulence kinetic energy and the catalyst particle concentration are not uniform inthe axial,radial and tangential directions.The most complicated part of the riser reactor is the feed injectingzone.The complicated configuration of the turbulent gas-solid two-phase flows would exert a great influence onthe results of interphase heat transfer and cracking reactions.

LARGE EDDY SIMULATION OF FULLY DEVELOPED TURBULENT FLOW IN A CURVED CHANNEL

In this paper large eddy simulation of the fully developed turbulent flow in a curved channel is carried out.The computational results are presented and compared with the experimental results of Eskinazi and Yeh.It is shown that the numerical results of the present LES are reliable and the influence of the curvature on the turbulence feature is correctly revealed.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF 3-D DENSE SOLID-LIQUID TWO-PHASE TURBULENT FLOW IN A NON-CLOGGING MUD PUMP

A mathematical model is set to evaluate the 3-D dense solid-liquid two-phaseturbulent flow in a non-clogging mud pump, the flow feature in the impeller channel is simulatedwith the tool of IPSA. Meanwhile, resort to TECPLOT as the post-processor, the simulation results isvisualized. The results show the main flow characteristics: There exists backflow and aberrantvelocities at inlet area and a relative velocity slip between two phases; A jet-wake flow pattern isdiscerned around the shroud-suction side area; The relative velocity vector of solid phase iscloser to the pressure surface than that of liquid phase and the trend is more obvious with theincrease of diameter; The kinetic energy of turbulence k and the dissipation rate e reach theirpeaks at the corner of pressure and suction surface. The simulation results show a good agreementwith the experimental flow features in the impeller channel, which prove the turbulent model used isvalid and provide a theoretical design basis to non-clogging pumps.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION FOR INCOMPRESSIBLE TURBULENT FLOW IN THE IMPELLER OF SEWAGE PUMP

The 3-D turbulent flow in the impeller of sewage pump is simulated. Thetime-averaged N-S equations and the kappa-epsilon turbulent model is modified. The calculation iscarried out in body-fitted coordinated grid by applying SIMPLE-C algorithm. The calculated velocity,pressure distributions of the turbulent flow in the sewage pump are obtained for the first time,which will be helpful for the optimal design and performance prediction of sewage pumps on the basisof flow field simulation.

Numerical simulation on turbulent flow field in convergentdiveroent nozzle

Because of the complication of turbulence＇s mechanism and law as well as the jet pressure in nozzle is difficult to test by experiment, five turbulent models were applied to numerically simulate the turbulent flow field in convergent-divergent nozzle. Theory analysis and experiment results of mass flow rates conclude that the RNG k-ε model is the most suitable model. The pressure distribution in the convergent-divergent nozzle was revealed by computational fluid dynamic （CFD） simulating on the turbulent flow field under different pressure conditions. The growing conditions of cavitation bubbles were shown; meanwhile, the phenomena in the experiment could be explained. The differential pres- sure between the upstream and downstream in nozzle throat section can improve the cavitating effect of cavitation water jet.

Numerical Simulation of the Effect of Air Distribution on Turbulent Flow and Combustion in a Tubular Heating Furnace

A three-dimension full-size numerical simulation of the effect of air distribution on turbulent flow and combustion in a tubular heating furnace was carried out. A standard k –ε turbulent model, a simplified PDF combustion model and a discrete ordinate transfer radiation model were used. The hybrid grid combining a structured and a non-structured grid was generated without any simplification of the complicated geometric configuration around the burner. It was found that the multistage combustion could reduce and control the peak value of temperature. At the same time, it was concluded that the amount of primary air had little effect on the global distribution of velocity and temperature in the furnace, but a great effect on that around the burner. It is recommended that 45% - 65% of the total amount of air be taken in in primary air inlets in the furnace. All the results are important to optimize the combustion progress.

Direct numerical simulation on relevance of fluctuating velocities and drag reduction in turbulent channel flow with spanwise space-dependent electromagnetic force

Based on the Fourier–Chebyshev spectral method, the control of turbulent channel flow by space-dependent electromagnetic force and the mechanism of drag reduction are investigated with direct numerical simulation(DNS) methods for different Reynolds numbers. A formula is derived to express the relation between fluctuating velocities and the friction drag coefficient. With the application of electromagnetic force, the in-depth relations among the fluctuating velocities near the wall, Reynolds stress, and the effect of drag reduction for different Reynolds numbers are discussed. The results indicate that the maximum drag reductions can be obtained with an optimal combination of parameters for each case of different Reynolds numbers. The fluctuating velocities along the streamwise and normal directions are suppressed significantly,while the fluctuating velocity along the spanwise direction is enhanced dramatically due to the spanwise electromagnetic force. However, the values of Reynolds stress depend on the fluctuating velocities along the streamwise and normal directions rather than that along the spanwise direction. Therefore, the significant effect of drag reduction is obtained. Moreover,the maximum drag reduction is weakened due to the decay of control effect for fluctuating velocities as the Reynolds number increases.

Study of numerical errors in direct numerical simulation and large eddy simulation

By comparing the energy spectrum and total kinetic energy, the effects of numerical errors （which arise from aliasing and discretization errors）, subgrid-scale （SGS） models, and their interactions on direct numerical simulation （DNS） and large eddy simulation （LES） are investigated, The decaying isotropic turbulence is chosen as the test case. To simulate complex geometries, both the spectral method and Pade compact difference schemes are studied. The truncated Navier-Stokes （TNS） equation model with Pade discrete filter is adopted as the SGS model. It is found that the discretization error plays a key role in DNS. Low order difference schemes may be unsuitable. However, for LES, it is found that the SGS model can represent the effect of small scales to large scales and dump the numerical errors. Therefore, reasonable results can also be obtained with a low order discretization scheme.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF 3-D TURBULENT FLOWS OVER DREDGED TRENCHES

A 3- D free surface flow in open channels based on the Reynolds equations with the k-ε turbulence closure model is presented in this paper. Insted of the 'rigid lid' approximation, the solution of the free surface equation is implemented in the velocity-pressure iterative procedure on the basis of the conventional SIMPLE method. This model was used to compute the flow in rectangular channels with trenches dredged across the bottom. The velocity, eddy viscosity coefficient, turbulent shear stress, turbulent kinetic energy and elevation of the free surface can be obtained. The computed results are in good agreement with previous experimental data.

Computer Simulation of Turbulent Flow through a Hydraulic Turbine Draft Tube

Based on the Naviev-Stokes equations and the standard κ-ε turbulence model, this paper presents the derivation of the governing equations for the turbulent flow field in a draft tube. The mathematical model for the turbulent flow through a draft tube is set up when the boundary conditions, including the inlet boundary conditions, the outlet boundary conditions and the wall boundary conditions, have been implemented. The governing equations are formulated in a discrete form on a staggered grid system by the finite volume method. The second-order central difference approximation and hybrid scheme are used for discretization. The computation and analysis on internal flow through a draft tube have been carried out by using the simplee algorithm and cfx-tasc flow software so as to obtain the simulated flow fields. The calculation results at the design operating condition for the draft tube are presented in this paper. Thereby, an effective method for simulating the internal flow field in a draft tube has been explored.

DIRECT NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF TURBULENT FLOW IN A STRAIGHT SQUARE DUCT AT REYNOLDS NUMBER 600

This article presents the direct numerical simulation results of the turbulent flow in a straight square duct at a Reynolds number of 600, based on the duct width and the mean wall-shear velocity. The turbulence statistics along the wall bisector is examined with the turbulent flow field properties given by streamwise velocity and vorticity fields in the duct cross section. It was found that the solutions of the turbulent duct flow obtained in a spatial resolution with 1.2×10^6 grid points are satisfactory as compared to the existing numerical and experimental results. The results indicate that it is reasonable to neglect the sub-grid scale models in this spatial resolution level for the duct flow at the particular friction Reynolds number.

Validation of the numerical simulation of fluid flow in the continuous casting tundish

The 3-dimensional fluid flow in a water model of the continuous casting tundish is simulated with the k-ε two-equation turbulence model. The methods to decide the size of wall-adjacent grids and the effects of residuals and mesh size on the simulation accuracy are discussed. The current investigation concludes that the following condition should be satisfied to get accurate enough simulation results: (1) If the dimension of the domain is in the order of cubic meters, the average size of cells in the mesh system should be at least smaller than 30 mm; (2) The normalized non-scaled residual should be reached at least smaller than 10-4.

Rotational dynamics of bottom-heavy rods in turbulence from experiments and numerical simulations

We successfully perform the three-dimensional tracking in a turbulent fluid flow of small axisymmetrical particles that are neutrally-buoyant and bottom-heavy,i.e.,they have a non-homogeneous mass distribu-tion along their symmetry axis.We experimentally show how a tiny mass inhomogeneity can affect the particle orientation along the preferred vertical direction and modify its tumbling rate.The experiment is complemented by a series of simulations based on realistic Navier-Stokes turbulence and on a point-like particle model that is capable to explore the full range of parameter space characterized by the gravi-tational torque stability number and by the particle aspect ratio.We propose a theoretical perturbative prediction valid in the high bottom-heaviness regime that agrees well with the observed preferential ori-entation and tumbling rate of the particles.We also show that the heavy-tail shape of the probability distribution function of the tumbling rate is weakly affected by the bottom-heaviness of the particles.

AN EXTENDED k-ε MODEL FOR NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF WIND FLOW AROUND BUILDINGS

It is assumed in this paper that for a high Reynolds number nearly homogeneouswind flow, the Reynolds stresses are uniquely related to the mean velocity gradientsand the two independent turbulent scaling parameters k and E. By applying dimensionalanalysis and owing to the Cayley-Hamilton theorem for tensors, a new turbulenceenclosure model so-called the axtended k-ε model has been developed. The coefficientsof the model expression were detemined by the wind tunnel experimental data ofhomogeneous shear turbulent flow. The model was compared with the standard k-εmodel in in composition and the prediction of the Reynold's normal Stresses. Using thenew model the numerical simulation of wind flow around a square cross-section tallbuilding was performed. The results show that the extended k-ε model improves theprediction of wind velocities around the building the building and wind pressures on the buildingenvelope.

AN ANALYSIS OF SUBGRID-RESOLVED SCALE INTERACTIONS WITH USE OF RESULTS FROM DIRECT NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS

Subgrid nonlinear interaction and energy transfer are analyzed using direct numerical simulations of isotropic turbulence. Influences of cutoff wave number at different ranges of scale on the energetics and dynamics have been investigated. It is observed that subgrid-subgrid interaction dominates the turbulent dynamics when cut-off wave number locates in the energy-containing range while resolved-subgrid interaction dominates if it is in the dissipation range. By decomposing the subgrid energy transfer and nonlinear interaction into ‘forward’ and ‘backward’ groups according to the sign of triadic interaction, we find that individually each group has very large contribution, but the net of them is much smaller, implying that tremendous cancellation happens between these two groups.

NUMERICAL STUDY OF AN OSCILLATORY TURBULENT FLOW OVER A FLAT PLATE

Oscillatory turbulent flow over a flat plate was studied by using large eddy simulation (LES) and Reynolds-average Navier-Stokes (RANS) methods. A dynamic subgrid-scale model was employed in LES and Saffman's turbulence model was used in RANS. The flow behaviors were discussed for the accelerating and decelerating phases during the oscillating cycle. The friction force on the wall and its phase shift from laminar to turbulent regime were also investigated for different Reynolds numbers. (Edited author abstract) 11 Refs.

Direct numerical simulation study of the interaction between the polymer effect and velocity gradient tensor in decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence

Direct numerical simulation of decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence （DHIT） of a polymer solution is performed. In order to understand the polymer effect on turbulence or additive-turbulence interaction, we directly investigate the influence of polymers on velocity gradient tensor including vorticity and strain. By visualizing vortex tubes and sheets, we observe a remarkable inhibition of vortex structures in an intermediate-scale field and a small-scale field but not for a large scale field in DHIT with polymers. The geometric study indicates a strong relevance among the vorticity vector, rate-of-strain tensor, and polymer conformation tensor. Joint probability density functions show that the polymer effect can increase ＂strain generation resistance＂ and ＂vorticity generation resistance＂, i.e., inhibit the generation of vortex sheets and tubes, ultimately leading to turbulence inhibition effects.

Numerical investigation on flow and heat transfer characteristics of corrugated tubes with non-uniform corrugation in turbulent flow

Based on finite volume method, the pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of one smooth tube and ten different axisymmetric corrugated tubes, including two with uniform corrugation and eight with non-uniform corrugation, have been studied. A physical model of the corrugated tube was built, then the numerical simulation of the model was carried out and the numerical simulation results were compared with the empirical formula.The results show that: the friction factor decreases with the increase of Reynolds number ranging from 6000 to 57000, the value of which in the corrugated tubes with non-uniform corrugation(tube 03–10) are smaller than those with uniform corrugation(tube 01–02). The geometry parameters of tube(01) have advantages on the heat transfer enhancement in low Reynolds number flow region(from 6000 to 13000) and tube(07–08)have advantages on the heat transfer enhancement in high Reynolds number flow region(from 13000 to 57000). The vortex, existed in each area between two adjacent corrugations called second flow region, is the root of the enhancement on heat transfer in the corrugated tubes. The effectiveness factor decreases with the increasing of Reynolds number and the performances of the corrugated tubes with pitch of 12.5 mm have advantages than these of 10 mm under the same corrugation geometric parameter.