Rans modelling of intermittent turbulent flows using adaptive mesh refinement methods

Abstract

This paper investigates the modelling of intermittency in turbulent jet flows using the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes flow field solutions, coupled to the solutions of the transported probability density function (PDF) equation for scalar variables, obtained using a finite-volume method combined with an adaptive mesh refinement algorithm applied in both physical and compositional space. The effects of intermittency, γ, on the turbulent flow field are accommodated using a k-ε-γ turbulence model as well as being applied in the mixing model embodied within the transported PDF equation. Different mixing models are also considered for use with the latter transport equation, including the linear mean square estimation and the Curl and Langevin approaches. Results are compared with the available experimental data on a jet flow with good agreement obtained.

Keywords:

• Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes
• transported PDF
• finite-volume
• adaptive mesh refinement
• intermittency

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for their financial support of the work reported in this paper under EPSRC grant EP/E03005X/1.