Elastically induced turbulence in Taylor–Couette flow: direct numerical simulation and mechanistic insight

2013 ◽  
Vol 737 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nansheng Liu ◽  
Bamin Khomami

AbstractDirect numerical simulation (DNS) of elastically induced turbulent flows has posed great challenges to researchers engaged in developing first-principle models and simulations that can predict faithfully the complex spatio-temporal dynamics of polymeric flows. To this end, DNS of elastically induced turbulent flow states in the Taylor–Couette (TC) flow are reported here with the aim of paving the way for a mechanistic understanding of this new class of flows. Specifically, the DNS not only faithfully reproduce the key feature of elastically induced turbulent flows, namely, substantial excitation of fluid motion at the smallest temporal and spatial scales, but also for the first time demonstrate the existence of three distinct flow regions in the gap for the inertio-elastic turbulence state: (i) a fluid-inertia (or outflow-) dominated inner-wall region; (ii) a fluid-elasticity (or inflow-) dominated outer-wall region; and (iii) an inflow/outflow core region. Based on this observation, a simple mechanism for the inertio-elastic turbulence in the TC flow has been postulated.

Author(s):  
Kazuyoshi Matsuzaki ◽  
Mizue Munekata ◽  
Hideki Ohba

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the turbulent structure of the swirling flows on the particle motions using numerical simulation. In this work, we deal with the swirling turbulent flows in an axially rotating pipe because of focusing on the influence of swirl effect on the particle motions. Direct numerical simulation (DNS) of gas-particle turbulent swirling flows in the axially rotating pipe at the Reynolds number 180, based on the friction velocity and the pipe radius, and the rotating ratios 0.25 and 0.3 based on the bulk velocity was performed. Particle motions were treated by a Lagragian method with inter-particle collisions calculated by a deterministic method. In order to investigate the influence of swirl effect on the particle motions in detail, the one-way method in which fluid motion is not affected by particles is adopted. In particular, the effect of the inter-particle collisions on particle motions was carefully investigated because it is considered that particles accumulate near the wall due to the centrifugal force and local particle concentration is very high in the region.


Author(s):  
Tomomi Uchiyama ◽  
Yutaro Yoshii ◽  
Hirotaka Hamada

Purpose – This study is concerned with the direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a turbulent channel flow by an improved vortex in cell (VIC) method. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – First, two improvements for VIC method are proposed to heighten the numerical accuracy and efficiency. A discretization method employing a staggered grid is presented to ensure the consistency among the discretized equations as well as to prevent the numerical oscillation of the solution. A correction method for vorticity is also proposed to compute the vorticity field satisfying the solenoidal condition. Second, the DNS for a turbulent channel flow is conducted by the improved VIC method. The Reynolds number based on the friction velocity and the channel half width is 180. Findings – It is highlighted that the simulated turbulence statistics, such as the mean velocity, the Reynolds shear stress and the budget of the mean enstrophy, agree well with the existing DNS results. It is also shown that the organized flow structures in the near-wall region, such as the streaks and the streamwise vortices, are favourably captured. These demonstrate the high applicability of the improved VIC method to the DNS for wall turbulent flows. Originality/value – This study enables the VIC method to perform the DNS for wall turbulent flows.


2021 ◽  
Vol 926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaxing Song ◽  
Fenghui Lin ◽  
Nansheng Liu ◽  
Xi-Yun Lu ◽  
Bamin Khomami

The flow physics of inertio-elastic turbulent Taylor–Couette flow for a radius ratio of $0.5$ in the Reynolds number ( $Re$ ) range of $500$ to $8000$ is investigated via direct numerical simulation. It is shown that as $Re$ is increased the turbulence dynamics can be subdivided into two distinct regimes: (i) a low $Re \leqslant 1000$ regime where the flow physics is essentially dominated by nonlinear elastic forces and the main contribution to transport and mixing of momentum, stress and energy comes from large-scale flow structures in the bulk region and (ii) a high $Re \geqslant 5000$ regime where inertial forces govern the flow physics and the flow dynamics is mainly governed by small-scale flow structures in the near-wall region. Flow–microstructure coupling analysis reveals that the elastic Görtler instability in the near-wall region is triggered via significant polymer extension and commensurately high hoop stresses. This instability gives rise to small-scale elastic vortical structures identified as elastic Görtler vortices which are present at all $Re$ considered. In fact, these vortices develop herringbone streaks near the inner wall that have a longer average life span than their Newtonian counterparts due to their elastic origin. Examination of the budgets of mean streamwise enstrophy, mean kinetic energy, turbulent kinetic energy and Reynolds shear stress demonstrates that increasing fluid inertia hinders the generation of elastic stresses, leading to a monotonic reduction of the elastic-related effects on the flow physics.


2011 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giancarlo Alfonsi

The direct numerical simulation of turbulence (DNS) has become a method of outmost importance for the investigation of turbulence physics, and its relevance is constantly growing due to the increasing popularity of high-performance-computing techniques. In the present work, the DNS approach is discussed mainly with regard to turbulent shear flows of incompressible fluids with constant properties. A body of literature is reviewed, dealing with the numerical integration of the Navier-Stokes equations, results obtained from the simulations, and appropriate use of the numerical databases for a better understanding of turbulence physics. Overall, it appears that high-performance computing is the only way to advance in turbulence research through the front of the direct numerical simulation.


2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Ai ◽  
B. Q. Li

Abstract Turbulent magnetically flows occur in a wide range of material processing systems involving electrically conducting melts. This paper presents a parallel higher order scheme for the direct numerical simulation of turbulent magnetically driven flows in induction channels. The numerical method is based on the higher order finite difference algorithm, which enjoys the spectral accuracy while minimizing the computational intensity. This, coupled with the parallel computing strategy, provides a very useful means to simulate turbulent flows. The higher order finite difference formulation of magnetically driven flow problems is described in this paper. The details of the parallel algorithm and its implementation for the simulations on parallel machines are discussed. The accuracy and numerical performance of the higher order finite difference scheme are assessed in comparison with the spectral method. The examples of turbulent magnetically driven flows in induction channels and pressure gradient driven flows in regular channels are given, and the computed results are compared with experimental measurements wherever possible.


2018 ◽  
Vol 857 ◽  
pp. 270-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josef Hasslberger ◽  
Markus Klein ◽  
Nilanjan Chakraborty

This paper presents a detailed investigation of flow topologies in bubble-induced two-phase turbulence. Two freely moving and deforming air bubbles that have been suspended in liquid water under counterflow conditions have been considered for this analysis. The direct numerical simulation data considered here are based on the one-fluid formulation of the two-phase flow governing equations. To study the development of coherent structures, a local flow topology analysis is performed. Using the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor, all possible small-scale flow structures can be categorized into two nodal and two focal topologies for incompressible turbulent flows. The volume fraction of focal topologies in the gaseous phase is consistently higher than in the surrounding liquid phase. This observation has been argued to be linked to a strong vorticity production at the regions of simultaneous high fluid velocity and high interface curvature. Depending on the regime (steady/laminar or unsteady/turbulent), additional effects related to the density and viscosity jump at the interface influence the behaviour. The analysis also points to a specific term of the vorticity transport equation as being responsible for the induction of vortical motion at the interface. Besides the known mechanisms, this term, related to surface tension and gradients of interface curvature, represents another potential source of turbulence production that lends itself to further investigation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 774 ◽  
pp. 395-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myoungkyu Lee ◽  
Robert D. Moser

A direct numerical simulation of incompressible channel flow at a friction Reynolds number ($\mathit{Re}_{{\it\tau}}$) of 5186 has been performed, and the flow exhibits a number of the characteristics of high-Reynolds-number wall-bounded turbulent flows. For example, a region where the mean velocity has a logarithmic variation is observed, with von Kármán constant ${\it\kappa}=0.384\pm 0.004$. There is also a logarithmic dependence of the variance of the spanwise velocity component, though not the streamwise component. A distinct separation of scales exists between the large outer-layer structures and small inner-layer structures. At intermediate distances from the wall, the one-dimensional spectrum of the streamwise velocity fluctuation in both the streamwise and spanwise directions exhibits $k^{-1}$ dependence over a short range in wavenumber $(k)$. Further, consistent with previous experimental observations, when these spectra are multiplied by $k$ (premultiplied spectra), they have a bimodal structure with local peaks located at wavenumbers on either side of the $k^{-1}$ range.


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