Introduction to Turbulence and Turbulence Modeling

By Nishanth Dongari Centre for Advanced Fluid Mechanics Erlangen

Lay Out
Introduction to Turbulence
What is turbulence ? The turbulent world around us Why study turbulence ? Properties of Laminar and Turbulent flows Basic equations of fluid mechanics Statistical analysis Eddy viscosity model Reynolds stress equations

Modeling of Turbulence

What is turbulence ?
Dictionary meaning Condition of irregularity Shall we compare to it to a laminar flow? (It is more lovely and more sinuous ) Necessary condition of vorticity Two levels of assault on Turbulence (Exploring nature of turbulence and must be strechted to provide engineering solutions to real problems)

Why do we need turbulence modeling

Solutions of the non-linear dynamical systems are deterministic. Why not turbulence ? Numeric problem Turbulence closure problem Why we cannot perform DNS ?

Solution to flow problems

Flows can generallz be obtained bz integration of the set of differential equations given below: Continuity equation: ( U i ) + =0 t xi Momentum equation: j=1,2,3

U j U j P ij +Ui = + g j x j xi xi t
U j Ui 2 Uk ij = + + xi x j 3 ij xk 4 Equations are available for 4 unknowns U1, U2, U3, P.

Numerical solution and Stability

One requires numerical solution to solve the Navier-Stokes equations. The entire region of the flow is covered by numerical grid as a basis for the numerical solutions of the basic equations. Numerical solutions have a tendency to instabilities, i.e. results are obtained that are not physically explainable. For central difference method, the stability requirement reads as

Maximum Grids
For Coutte flows we obtain:
x=grid size U=velocity change per grid N=number of grid points per coordinate direction

x=

L U ;U= o N N

2 N

Ux

LU o 1 = 2 Re NN N

Re provides the grid points that are necessary in each direction 2 of a coordinate system to obtain stable numerical solutions. N max is the highest number of grids allowable on a computer.

Maximum Grids
The following considerations can be carried out using information of slides 4 & 5 Nmax = 100 for computers and available numerical solution procedures. This results in: Nges = 106 grid points for 3-dimensional flow computations. This yields the following maximum allowable Reynolds number: Remax < 20000 Only for Reynolds numbers smaller than 20000 direct numerical solutions of flow problems can be obtained. For high Reynolds numbers Re > Remax no direct numerical solutions can be obtained.

Great danger ???

Two dangers are Mathematicians and Physicists (Not complementary) Deceived (thinking we really understand the physics) but the successes and good fortune of engineering solutions. Failure of tried and tested models What is physicist argument ? We have failed to recognize clearly the need and nature of what we really do.

The cost of our ignorance

Can we place a price tag ? Katrina (do you want one more ?) Consider the frustration of CFD labor

Properties of Laminar Flows

Laminar flows characterized by a high degree of orderness The diffusive transport processes that can 2 occur in laminar flows are only caused by U = U ; U = U (t ) cos(2 y ) A molecular motion. t y 2 Stable laminar flows posses a high degree 2 2 dU 4 4 A of stability against outside disturbances. = U A (t ) 2 U A (t ) = u0 exp 2 dt Short wave disturbances are better damped than long wave disturbances. If a whole spectrum of disturbances acts on a flow, the long wave disturbances are maintained longer. If externally introduced disturbances are not damped, the flow will not maintain laminar.

Properties of Turbulent Flows

Turbulent fluid flows are characterized by chaotic fluid motions. A high degree of mixing exists and a high diffusivity is observed. The diffusion processes that are caused by molecular motions are usually small in comparison to those caused by turbulent fluid motions. Turbulent flows contain vorticity. Vortices of different length scales occur in the flow. L = integral length scale and = micro scale of turbulence Turbulent flows are mostly explained by L and

Continuity Equation