Fractional and tempered fractional models for Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations

Abstract

Turbulence is a non-local phenomenon and has multiple-scales. Non-locality can be addressed either implicitly or explicitly. Implicitly, by subsequent resolution of all spatio-temporal scales. However, if directly solved for the temporal or spatially averaged fields, a closure problem arises on account of missing information between two points. To solve the closure problem in Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations (RANS), an eddy-viscosity hypotheses has been a popular modelling choice, where it follows either a linear or nonlinear stress–strain relationship. Here, a non-constant diffusivity is introduced. Such a non-constant diffusivity is also characteristic of non-Fickian diffusion equation addressing anomalous diffusion process. An alternative approach, is a fractional derivative-based diffusion equations. Thus, in the paper, we formulate a fractional stress–strain relationship using variable-order Caputo fractional derivative. This provides new opportunities for future modelling effort.

We pedagogically study of our model construction, starting from one-sided model and followed by two-sided model applied to channel, couette and pipe flow. Non-locality at a point is the amalgamation of all the effects, thus we find the two-sided model is physically consistent. Further, our construction can also addresses viscous effects, which is a local process. Thus, our fractional model addresses the amalgamation of local and non-local process. We also show its validity at infinite Reynolds number limit. An expression for the fractional order is also found, thereby solving the closure problem for the considered cases.

This study is further extended to tempered fractional calculus, where tempering ensures finite jump lengths, this is an important remark for unbounded flows. Within the context of this paper, we limit ourselves to wall bounded flow. Two tempered definitions are introduced with a smooth and sharp cutoff, by the exponential term and Heaviside function, respectively and we also define the horizon of non-local interactions. We further study the equivalence between the two definitions, as truncating the domain has computational advantages.

For the above investigations, we carefully designed algorithms, notably, the pointwise version of fractional physics-informed neural network to find the fractional order as an inverse problem.

Keywords:

• Fractional physics-informed neural network
• Caputo fractional derivative
• turbulence
• non-local modelling
• Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes equations
• anomalous diffusion

Acknowledgements

Research was carried out using computational resources and services at the Center for Computation and Visualization, Brown University.

This research was initiated and carried out at Brown University, USA. The author credits Prof. George Karniadakis (Brown University, USA) for proposing the use of fractional calculus for turbulence modelling following [8], and mentoring the author during his time at Brown University.

The result presented in this paper are available as arXiv:2105.03646 [43] since 2021 for one-sided and two-sided model. While our results of tempered fractional model were presented in ICTAM 2020+1, held in Italy (virtually), the book of abstract (available online) has our conference paper [44] (this conference was postponed by a year due pandemic, but we submitted our results as early as January 2020).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).