The structure of the solution obtained with Reynolds-stress-transport models at the free-stream edges of turbulent flows

The behavior of Reynolds-stress-transport models at the free-stream edges of turbulent flows is investigated. Current turbulent-diffusion models are found to produce propagative (possibly weak) solutions of the same type as those reported earlier by Cazalbou, Spalart, and Bradshaw [Phys. Fluids 6, 1797 (1994)] for two-equation models. As in the latter study, an analysis is presented that provides qualitative information on the flow structure predicted near the edge if a condition on the values of the diffusion constants is satisfied. In this case, the solution appears to be fairly insensitive to the residual free-stream turbulence levels needed with conventional numerical methods. The main specific result is that, depending on the diffusion model, the propagative solution can force turbulence toward definite and rather extreme anisotropy states at the edge (one - or two-component limit). This is not the case with the model of Daly and Harlow [Phys. Fluids 13, 2634 (1970)]; it may be one of the reasons why this "old" scheme is still the most widely used, even in recent Reynolds-stress-transport models. In addition, the analysis helps us to interpret some difficulties encountered in computing even very simple flows with Lumley's pressure-diffusion model [Adv. Appl. Mech. 18, 123 (1978)]. A new realizability condition, according to which the diffusion model should not globally become "anti-diffusive", is introduced, and a recalibration of Lumley's model satisfying this condition is performed using information drawn from the analysis

New results on the model problem of the diffusion of turbulence from a plane source

The problem of the diffusion of turbulence from a plane source is addressed in the context of two-equation eddy-viscosity models and Reynolds-stress-transport models. In the steady state, full analytic solutions are given. At second order, they provide the equilibrium value of the anisotropy level obtained with different combinations of return-to-isotropy and turbulent-diffusion schemes and confirm the results obtained by Straatman et al. [AIAA J. 36, 929 (1998)] in an approximate analysis. In addition, all the characteristics of the turbulence decrease can be determined and it is shown that a special constraint on the value of the modeling constants should hold if turbulence fills the whole surrounding space. In a second step, precise results can be given for the unsteady model problem at the first-order-closure level. The evolution cannot be described with a single set of characteristic scales and one has to distinguish the cases of short and large times. In the short-time regime, the flow is governed by the characteristic scales of turbulence at the source and contamination of the flow proceeds as t^1/2. At large times, the flow is governed by time-dependent characteristic scales that correspond to the solution of the steady problem at the instantaneous location of the front. Contamination of the flow proceeds as a power of time that can be related to the value of the modeling constants. The role of a combination of these constants is emphasized whose value can be specified to produce a solution that matches simultaneously the experimental data for the decrease of turbulent kinetic energy in the steady state and the exponent of the propagation velocity in the transient regime

The Rayleigh–Taylor instability of two-dimensional high-density vortices

We investigate the stability of variable-density two-dimensional isolated vortices in the frame of incompressible mixing under negligible gravity. The focus on a single vortex flow stands as a first step towards vortex interactions and turbulent mixing. From heuristic arguments developed on a perturbed barotropic vortex, we find that highdensity vortices are subject to a Rayleigh–Taylor instability. The basic mechanism relies on baroclinic vorticity generation when the density gradient is misaligned with the centripetal acceleration field. For Gaussian radial distributions of vorticity and density, the intensity of the baroclinic torque due to isopycnic deformation is shown to increase with the ratio δ/δρ of the vorticity radius to the density radius. Concentration of mass near the vortex core is confirmed to promote the instability by the use of an inviscid linear stability analysis. We measure the amplification rate for the favoured azimuthal wavenumbers m=2, 3 on the whole range of positive density contrasts between the core and the surroundings. The separate influence of the density-contrast and the radius ratio is detailed for modes up to m=6. For growing azimuthal wavenumbers, the two-dimensional structure of the eigenmode concentrates on a ring of narrowing radial extent centred on the radius of maximum density gradient. The instability of the isolated high-density vortex is then explored beyond the linear stage based on high-Reynolds-number numerical simulations for modes m=2,3 and a moderate density contrast Cρ =0.5. Secondary roll-ups are seen to emerge from the nonlinear evolution of the vorticity and density fields. The transition towards m smaller vortices involves vorticity exchange between initially-rotating dense fluid particles and the irrotational less-dense medium. It is shown that baroclinic enstrophy production is associated with the centrifugal mass ejection away from the vortex centre

The baroclinic forcing of the shear-layer three-dimensional instability

It has been demonstrated that, within the context of variable-density shear flows, the generation-destruction of vorticity by the baroclinic torque may substantially alter the transition dynamics of shear flows. The focus of the present contribution is on baroclinic effects beyond the Boussinesq approximation but uncorrelated to compressibility. The baroclinic torque results from the inertial component of the pressure gradient only. The vorticity evolves within a quasi-solenoidal velocity field without suffering from strong dilatationnal effects that scale with any relevant Mach number. This purely inertial influence of density variations is likely to occur in high Reynolds number mixing of fluids of different densities or in thermal mixing. The vorticity is redistributed to the benefits of the light-side vorticity braid, the other being vorticity depleted in a first stage and feeded with an opposite sign vorticity afterwards, as stressed by Reinaud et al. (1999). These two opposite-sign vorticity sheets are lying around the vanishing primary structure core, still figuring the center of this two-layers system. In three-dimensions the vorticity dynamics is also affected by the vortex stretching mechanism that enable circulation to travel among vorticity components through 3D instability modes. The consequences of the baroclinic redistribution of spanwise vorticity on the development of three-dimensionnal modes is the focus point of the present proposition. The interference with the pairing process and further subharmonics emergence is not yet considered

Density fluctuation correlations in free turbulent binary mixing

This paper is devoted to the analysis of the turbulent mass flux and, more generally, of the density fluctuation correlation (d.f.c.) effects in variable-density fluid motion. The situation is restricted to the free turbulent binary mixing of an inhomogeneous round jet discharging into a quiescent atmosphere. Based on conventional (Reynolds) averaging, a ternary regrouping of the correlations occurring in the statistical averaging of the open equations is first introduced. Then an exact algebraic relationship between the d.f.c. terms and the second-order moments is demonstrated. Some consequences of this result on the global behaviour of variable-density jets are analytically discussed. The effects of the d.f.c. terms are shown to give a qualitative explanation of the influence of the ratio of the densities of the inlet jet and ambient fluid on the centerline decay rates of mean velocity and mass fraction, the entrainment rate and the restructuring of the jet. Finally, the sensitivity of second-order modelling to the d.f.c. terms is illustrated and it is suggested that such terms should be considered as independent variables in the closing procedure

A study of sheared turbulence/shock interaction: velocity fluctuations and enstrophy behaviour

Direct Numerical Simulations of the idealized interaction of a normal shock wave with several turbulent shear flows are conducted. We analyse the behaviours of velocity and vorticity fluctuations and compare them to what happens in the isotropic situation. Investigation of the budgets of these quantities allows to isolate the mechanisms underlying the physics of the interaction, and reveals the importance of enthalpic production and baroclinic torque in such flows

DNS of the interaction between a shock wave and a turbulent shear flow: some effects of anisotropy

Direct numerical simulation is used to study the interaction of a Mach 1.5 shock wave and various types of anisotropic turbulent flows. We compare the interaction of isotropic, axisymmetric and sheared turbulences (sometimes combined), with a specific interest for the sheared situation. The sign and magnitude of the correlation between the velocity and temperature fluctuations are found to have a crucial influence on the kinetic energy amplification across the shock. A decrease in magnitude is observed during the interaction for the velocity cross-correlation. The balance equation of this quantity is investigated and the terms responsible for this behaviour are identified. The shear stress effect upon fluctuating vorticity and the dissipation length scale is also presented. Thermodynamic fluctuations are finally analyzed, showing the departure from the isentropic state in the sheared situation compared to the isotropic one

DNS of the interaction between a shock wave and a turbulent shear flow

Direct numerical simulation is used to study the interaction of a Mach 1.5 shock wave and various types of anisotropic turbulent flows. We compare the interaction of isotropic, axisymmetric and sheared turbulences (sometimes combined), with a specific interest for the sheared situation

Off-design considerations through the properties of some pressure-ratio line of radial inflow turbines

Radial turbines are commonly used in applications involving operation through severe off-design conditions. The emergence of variable-geometry systems leads to the distinction between two off-design concepts: operational and geometric off-designs. Both of these operating constraints should be integrated in the design procedure. Recent developments in prediction and optimization methods allowed such an integration, but involving complex algorithms is coupled with semiempiric loss models. This paper provides a basis to obtain simple information from an existing or predesigned machine, for both operational and geometric offdesign conditions. An alternative turbine map is defined using loading and flow coefficients. A one-dimensional analysis shows that the constant pressure-ratio lines are straight lines whose slope is remarkably correlated with the pressure-ratio value and geometrical characteristics. This theoretical approach is validated against the experimentation of two machines, the linearity is observed in both cases. The direct influence of the stator configuration on the pressure-ratio lines confirms the applicability of this work to variable-geometry stages. A dimensionless cross-section of the stator is thus defined. However, the unexpected displacement of the intercept of the pressure-ratio lines limits the application field of this method. Nevertheless, a simple performance prediction analysis is proposed for blocked mass flow operation

Two-equation modeling of turbulent rotating flows

The possibility to take into account the effects of the Coriolis acceleration on turbulence is examined in the framework of two-equation eddy-viscosity models. General results on the physical consistency of such turbulence models are derived from a dynamical-system approach to situations of time-evolving homogeneous turbulence in a rotating frame. Application of this analysis to a (k,epsilon) model fitted with an existing Coriolis correction [J. H. G. Howard, S. V. Patankar, and R. M. Bordynuik, "Flow prediction in rotating ducts using Coriolis-modified turbulence models", ASME Trans. J. Fluids Eng. 102, (1980)] is performed. Full analytical solutions are given for the flow predicted with this model in the situation of homogeneously sheared turbulence subject to rotation. The existence of an unphysical phenomenon of blowup at finite time is demonstrated in some range of the rotation-to-shear ratio. A direct connection is made between the slope of the mean-velocity profile in the plane-channel flow with spanwise rotation, and a particular fixed point of the dynamical system in homogeneously sheared turbulence subject to rotation. The general analysis, and the understanding of typical inaccuracies and misbehavior observed with the existing model, are then used to design a new model which is free from the phenomenon of blowup at finite time and able to account for both of the main influences of rotation on turbulence: the inhibition of the spectral transfer to high wave numbers and the shear/Coriolis instability