Nonlinear Subgrid-Scale Models for Large-Eddy Simulation of Rotating Turbulent Flows (original) (raw)

A new subgrid eddy-viscosity model for large-eddy simulation of anisotropic turbulence

Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 2007

A new subgrid eddy-viscosity model is proposed in this paper. Full details of the derivation of the model are given with the assumption of homogeneous turbulence. The formulation of the model is based on the dynamic equation of the structure function of resolved scale turbulence. By means of the local volume average, the effect of the anisotropy is taken into account in the generalized Kolmogorov equation, which represents the equilibrium energy transfer in the inertial subrange. Since the proposed model is formulated directly from the filtered Navier–Stokes equation, the resulting subgrid eddy viscosity has the feature that it can be adopted in various turbulent flows without any adjustments of model coefficient. The proposed model predicts the major statistical properties of rotating turbulence perfectly at fairly low-turbulence Rossby numbers whereas subgrid models, which do not consider anisotropic effects in turbulence energy transfer, cannot predict this typical anisotropic tu...

Physical consistency of subgrid-scale models for large-eddy simulation of incompressible turbulent flows

Physics of Fluids

We study the construction of subgrid-scale models for large-eddy simulation of incompressible turbulent flows. In particular, we aim to consolidate a systematic approach of constructing subgrid-scale models, based on the idea that it is desirable that subgrid-scale models are consistent with the mathematical and physical properties of the Navier-Stokes equations and the turbulent stresses. To that end, we first discuss in detail the symmetries of the Navier-Stokes equations, and the near-wall scaling behavior, realizability and dissipation properties of the turbulent stresses. We furthermore summarize the requirements that subgrid-scale models have to satisfy in order to preserve these important mathematical and physical properties. In this fashion, a framework of model constraints arises that we apply to analyze the behavior of a number of existing subgrid-scale models that are based on the local velocity gradient. We show that these subgrid-scale models do not satisfy all the desired properties, after which we explain that this is partly due to incompatibilities between model constraints and limitations of velocity-gradient-based subgrid-scale models. However, we also reason that the current framework shows that there is room for improvement in the properties and, hence, the behavior of existing subgrid-scale models. We furthermore show how compatible model constraints can be combined to construct new subgrid-scale models that have desirable properties built into them. We provide a few examples of such new models, of which a new model of eddy viscosity type, that is based on the vortex stretching magnitude, is successfully tested in large-eddy simulations of decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence and turbulent plane-channel flow.

A dynamic subgrid-scale eddy viscosity model

Physics of Fluids A: Fluid Dynamics, 1991

One major drawback of the eddy viscosity subgrid-scale stress models used in large-eddy simulations is their inability to represent correctly with a single universal constant different turbulent fields in rotating or sheared flows, near solid walls, or in transitional regimes. In the present work a new eddy viscosity model is presented which alleviates many of these drawbacks. The model coefficient is computed dynamically as the calculation progresses rather than input apriori. The model is based on an algebraic identity between the subgrid-scale stresses at two different filtered levels and the resolved turbulent stresses. The subgrid-scale stresses obtained using the proposed model vanish in laminar flow and at a solid boundary, and have the correct asymptotic behavior in the near-wall region of a turbulent boundary layer. The results of large-eddy simulations of transitional and turbulent channel flow that use the proposed model are in good agreement with the direct simulation data.

Subgrid modeling of anisotropic rotating homogeneous turbulence

Physics of Fluids, 2005

We investigate subgrid modeling of anisotropic rotating turbulence with a dynamic equation of structure functions of the filtered velocity field. The local volume-averaged structure function equation of rotating turbulence is introduced and an eddy viscosity subgrid model is obtained. The resulting subgrid model is similar to that of the study of Cui et al. [Phys. Fluids 16, 2835 (2004)]. It

On the relationship between the mean flow and subgrid stresses in large eddy simulation of turbulent shear flows

Physics of Fluids, 1999

The present study sheds light on the subgrid modeling problem encountered in the large eddy simulation ͑LES͒ of practical flows, where the turbulence is both inhomogeneous and anisotropic due to mean flow gradients. The subgrid scale stress ͑SGS͒ tensor, the quantity that is key to the success of LES, is studied here in such flows using both analysis and direct numerical simulation ͑DNS͒. It is shown that the SGS tensor, for the case of inhomogeneous flow, where the filtering operation is necessarily performed in physical space, contains two components: a rapid part that depends explicitly on the mean velocity gradient and a slow part that does not. The characterization, rapid and slow, is adopted by analogy to that used in the modeling of the pressure-strain in the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. In the absence of mean flow gradients, the slow part is the only nonzero component and has been the subject of much theoretical study. However, the rapid part can be important in the inhomogeneous flows that are often encountered in practice. An analytical estimate of the relative magnitude of the rapid and slow components is derived and the distinct role of each component in the energy transfer between the resolved grid scales and the unresolved subgrid scales is identified. Results that quantify this new decomposition are obtained from DNS data of a turbulent mixing layer. The rapid part is shown to play an important role when the turbulence is in a nonequilibrium state with turbulence production much larger than dissipation or when the filter size is not very small compared to the characteristic integral scale of the turbulence, as in the case of practical LES applications. More importantly, the SGS is observed to be highly anisotropic due to the close connection of the rapid part with the mean shear. The Smagorinsky eddy viscosity and the scale-similarity models are tested by performing a priori tests with data from DNS of the mixing layer. It is found that the scale-similarity model correctly represents the anisotropic energy transfer between grid and subgrid scales that is associated with the rapid part, while the eddy viscosity model captures the dissipation associated with the slow part. This may be a physical reason for the recent successes of the mixed model ͑Smagorinsky plus scale similarity͒ reported in the literature.

Subgrid-scale modeling for large-eddy simulations of compressible turbulence

Physics of Fluids, 2002

We present two phenomenological subgrid-scale ͑SGS͒ models for large-eddy simulations ͑LES͒ of compressible turbulent flows. A nonlinear model and a stretched-vortex model are tested in LES of compressible decaying isotropic turbulence. Results of LES at 32 3 , 48 3 , and 64 3 resolution are compared to corresponding 256 3 direct numerical simulations ͑DNS͒ at a turbulent Mach number, M t ϳ0.4. We use numerical schemes based on compact finite differences and study the effects of their order of accuracy on LES results. Both models give satisfactory agreement with DNS for the decay of the total turbulent kinetic energy. The probability densities ͑pdf͒ of energy transfer to subgrid scales obtained from filtered DNS and the SGS models are compared. Both models produce a narrower distribution of energy transfer than corresponding filtered DNS data, with less backscatter. The pdf of the alignment of components of the subgrid stress tensor and the eigenvectors of the rate-of-strain tensor obtained from the models reproduces some features of the DNS results. The pdfs of both energy transfer and relative eigenvector alignment are obtained from DNS and LES after about one large-eddy turnover time from the same initial condition. All tests of the present LES models are therefore a posteriori and none is a priori.

Spectral-Dynamic Model for Large-Eddy Simulations of Turbulent Rotating Channel Flow

Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics, 1998

A new subgrid-scale model called the spectral-dynamic model is proposed. It consists of a refinement of spectral eddy-viscosity models taking into account nondeveloped turbulence in the subgrid-scales. The proposed correction, which is derived from eddy-damped quasi-normal Markovian statistical theory, is based on an adjustment of the turbulent eddy-viscosity coefficient to the deviation of the spectral slope (at small scales) with respect to the standard Kolmogorov law. The spectral-dynamic model is applied to large eddy simulation (LES) of rotating and nonrotating turbulent plane channel flows. It is shown that the proposed refinement allows for clear improvement of the statistical predictions due to a correct prediction of the near-wall behavior. Cases of rotating and nonrotating low (DNS) and high Reynolds (LES) numbers are then compared. It is shown that the principal structural features of the rotating turbulent channel flow are reproduced by the LES, such as the presence of the near-zero mean absolute vorticity region, the modification of the anisotropic character of the flow (with respect to the nonrotating case), the enhancement of flow organization, and the inhibition of the high-and low-speed streaks near the anticyclonic wall. Only a moderate Reynolds number dependence is exhibited, resulting in a more unstable character of the longitudinal large-scale roll cells at high Reynolds number, and a slight increase of the laminarization tendency on the cyclonic side of the channel.