scholarly journals Collapse of transitional wall turbulence captured using a rare events algorithm

2021 ◽  
Vol 931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joran Rolland

This text presents one of the first successful applications of a rare events sampling method for the study of multistability in a turbulent flow without stochastic energy injection. The trajectories of collapse of turbulence in plane Couette flow, and their probability and rate of occurrence are systematically computed using adaptive multilevel splitting (AMS). The AMS computations are performed in a system of size $L_x\times L_z=24\times 18$ at Reynolds number $R=370$ with an acceleration by a factor ${O}(10)$ with respect to direct numerical simulations (DNS) and in a system of size $L_x\times L_z=36\times 27$ at Reynolds number $R=377$ with an acceleration by a factor ${O}(10^3)$ . The AMS results are validated by a comparison with DNS in the smaller system. Visualisations indicate that turbulence collapses because the self-sustaining process of turbulence fails locally. The streamwise vortices decay first in streamwise elongated holes, leaving streamwise invariant streamwise velocity tubes that experience viscous decay. These holes then extend in the spanwise direction. The examination of more than a thousand trajectories in the $(E_{k,x}=\int u_x^2/2\,\textrm {d}^3\boldsymbol {x},E_{k,y-z}=\int (u_y^2/2+u_z^2/2)\,\textrm {d}^3\boldsymbol {x})$ plane in the smaller system confirms the faster decay of streamwise vortices and shows concentration of trajectories. This hints at an instanton phenomenology in the large size limit. The computation of turning point states, beyond which laminarisation is certain, confirms the hole formation scenario and shows that it is more pronounced in larger systems. Finally, the examination of non-reactive trajectories indicates that both the vortices and the streaks reform concomitantly when the laminar holes close.

2011 ◽  
Vol 670 ◽  
pp. 176-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
JU ZHANG ◽  
THOMAS L. JACKSON

Incompressible turbulent flow in a periodic circular pipe with strong injection is studied as a simplified model for the core flow in a solid-propellant rocket motor and other injection-driven internal flows. The model is based on a multi-scale asymptotic approach. The intended application of the current study is erosive burning of solid propellants. Relevant analysis for easily accessible parameters for this application, such as the magnitudes, main frequencies and wavelengths associated with the near-wall shear, and the assessment of near-wall turbulence viscosity is focused on. It is found that, unlike flows with weak or no injection, the near-wall shear is dominated by the root mean square of the streamwise velocity which is a function of the Reynolds number, while the mean streamwise velocity is only weakly dependent on the Reynolds number. As a result, a new wall-friction velocity $\(u_\tau{\,=\,}\sqrt{\tau_w/\rho}\)$, based on the shear stress derived from the sum of the mean and the root mean square, i.e. $\(\tau_{w,inj} {\,=\,} \mu |{\partial (\bar{u}+u_{rms})}/{\partial r}|_w\)$, is proposed for the scaling of turbulent viscosity for turbulent flows with strong injection. We also show that the mean streamwise velocity profile has an inflection point near the injecting surface.


2007 ◽  
Vol 584 ◽  
pp. 281-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
KYOUNGYOUN KIM ◽  
CHANG-F. LI ◽  
R. SURESHKUMAR ◽  
S. BALACHANDAR ◽  
RONALD J. ADRIAN

The effects of polymer stresses on near-wall turbulent structures are examined by using direct numerical simulation of fully developed turbulent channel flows with and without polymer stress. The Reynolds number based on friction velocity and half-channel height is 395, and the stresses created by adding polymer are modelled by a finite extensible nonlinear elastic, dumbbell model. Both low- (18%) and high-drag reduction (61%) cases are investigated. Linear stochastic estimation is employed to compute the conditional averages of the near-wall eddies. The conditionally averaged flow fields for Reynolds-stress-maximizing Q2 events show that the near-wall vortical structures are weakened and elongated in the streamwise direction by polymer stresses in a manner similar to that found by Stone et al. (2004) for low-Reynolds-number quasi-streamwise vortices (‘exact coherent states: ECS’). The conditionally averaged fields for the events with large contribution to the polymer work are also examined. The vortical structures in drag-reduced turbulence are very similar to those for the Q2 events, i.e. counter-rotating streamwise vortices near the wall and hairpin vortices above the buffer layer. The three-dimensional distributions of conditionally averaged polymer force around these vortical structures show that the polymer force components oppose the vortical motion. More fundamentally, the torques due to polymer stress are shown to oppose the rotation of the vortices, thereby accounting for their weakening. The observations also extend concepts of the vortex retardation by viscoelastic counter-torques to the heads of hairpins above the buffer layer, and offer an explanation of the mechanism of drag reduction in the outer region of wall turbulence, as well as in the buffer layer.


2002 ◽  
Vol 473 ◽  
pp. 23-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
GAETANO IUSO ◽  
MICHELE ONORATO ◽  
PIER GIORGIO SPAZZINI ◽  
GAETANO MARIA DI CICCA

This paper describes an experimental study of the manipulation of a fully developed turbulent channel flow through large-scale streamwise vortices originated by vortex generator jets distributed along the wall in the spanwise direction. Apart from the interest in flow management itself, an important aim of the research is to observe the response of the flow to external perturbations as a technique for investigating the structure of turbulence. Considerable mean and fluctuating skin friction reductions, locally as high as 30% and 50% respectively, were measured for an optimal forcing flow intensity. Mean and fluctuating velocity profiles are also greatly modified by the manipulating large-scale vortices; in particular, attenuation of the turbulence intensity was measured. Moreover the flow manipulation caused an increase in longitudinal coherence of the wall organized motions, accompanied by a reduced frequency of burst events, demonstrated by a reduction of the velocity time derivative PDFs and by an higher intermittency. A strong transversal periodic organization of the flow field was observed, including some typical behaviours in each of the periodic boxes originated by the interaction of the vortex pairs. Results are interpreted and discussed in terms of management of the near-wall turbulent structures and with reference to the wall turbulence regeneration mechanisms suggested in the literature.


Fluids ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 195
Author(s):  
George Sofiadis ◽  
Ioannis Sarris

Fluid microstructure nature has a direct effect on turbulence enhancement or attenuation. Certain classes of fluids, such as polymers, tend to reduce turbulence intensity, while others, like dense suspensions, present the opposite results. In this article, we take into consideration the micropolar class of fluids and investigate turbulence intensity modulation for three different Reynolds numbers, as well as different volume fractions of the micropolar density, in a turbulent channel flow. Our findings support that, for low micropolar volume fractions, turbulence presents a monotonic enhancement as the Reynolds number increases. However, on the other hand, for sufficiently high volume fractions, turbulence intensity drops, along with Reynolds number increment. This result is considered to be due to the effect of the micropolar force term on the flow, suppressing near-wall turbulence and enforcing turbulence activity to move further away from the wall. This is the first time that such an observation is made for the class of micropolar fluid flows, and can further assist our understanding of physical phenomena in the more general non-Newtonian flow regime.


2013 ◽  
Vol 733 ◽  
pp. 370-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy N. Jukes ◽  
Kwing-So Choi

AbstractThe streamwise vortices generated by dielectric-barrier-discharge plasma actuators in the laminar boundary layer were investigated using particle image velocimetry to understand the vortex-formation mechanisms. The plasma vortex generator was oriented along the primary flow direction to produce a body force in the spanwise direction. This created a spanwise-directed wall jet which interacted with the oncoming boundary layer to form a coherent streamwise vortex. It was found that the streamwise vortices were formed by the twisting and folding of the spanwise vorticity in the oncoming boundary layer into the outer shear layer of the spanwise wall jet, which added its own vorticity to increase the circulation along the actuator length. This is similar to the delta-shaped, vane-type vortex generator, except that the circulation was enhanced by the addition of the vorticity in the plasma jet. It was also observed that the plasma vortex was formed close to the wall with an enhanced wall-ward entrainment, which created strong downwash above the actuator.


2021 ◽  
Vol 932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Ricco ◽  
Claudia Alvarenga

The development and growth of unsteady three-dimensional vortical disturbances entrained in the entry region of a circular pipe is investigated by asymptotic and numerical methods for Reynolds numbers between $1000$ and $10\,000$ , based on the pipe radius and the bulk velocity. Near the pipe mouth, composite asymptotic solutions describe the dynamics of the oncoming disturbances, revealing how these disturbances are altered by the viscous layer attached to the pipe wall. The perturbation velocity profiles near the pipe mouth are employed as rigorous initial conditions for the boundary-region equations, which describe the flow in the limit of low frequency and large Reynolds number. The disturbance flow is initially primarily present within the base-flow boundary layer in the form of streamwise-elongated vortical structures, i.e. the streamwise velocity component displays an intense algebraic growth, while the cross-flow velocity components decay. Farther downstream the disturbance flow occupies the whole pipe, although the base flow is mostly inviscid in the core. The transient growth and subsequent viscous decay are confined in the entrance region, i.e. where the base flow has not reached the fully developed Poiseuille profile. Increasing the Reynolds number and decreasing the frequency causes more intense perturbations, whereas small azimuthal wavelengths and radial characteristic length scales intensify the viscous dissipation of the disturbance. The azimuthal wavelength that causes the maximum growth is found. The velocity profiles are compared successfully with available experimental data and the theoretical results are helpful to interpret the only direct numerical dataset of a disturbed pipe-entry flow.


1973 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 537-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. W. Van Atta ◽  
T. T. Yeh

Some of the statistical characteristics of the breakdown coefficient, defined as the ratio of averages over different spatial regions of positive variables characterizing the fine structure and internal intermittency in high Reynolds number turbulence, have been investigated using experimental data for the streamwise velocity derivative ∂u/∂tmeasured in an atmospheric boundary layer. The assumptions and predictions of the hypothesis of scale similarity developed by Novikov and by Gurvich & Yaglom do not adequately describe or predict the statistical characteristics of the breakdown coefficientqr,lof the square of the streamwise velocity derivative. Systematic variations in the measured probability densities and consistent variations in the measured moments show that the assumption that the probability density of the breakdown coefficient is a function only of the scale ratio is not satisfied. The small positive correlation between adjoint values ofqr,land measurements of higher moments indicate that the assumption that the probability densities for adjoint values ofqr,lare statistically independent is also not satisfied. The moments ofqr,ldo not have the simple power-law character that is a consequence of scale similarity.As the scale ratiol/rchanges, the probability density ofqr,levolves from a sharply peaked, highly negatively skewed density for large values of the scale ratio to a very symmetrical distribution when the scale ratio is equal to two, and then to a highly positively skewed density as the scale ratio approaches one. There is a considerable effect of heterogeneity on the values of the higher moments, and a small but measurable effect on the mean value. The moments are roughly symmetrical functions of the displacement of the shorter segment from the centre of the larger one, with a minimum value when the shorter segment is centrally located within the larger one.


2017 ◽  
Vol 812 ◽  
pp. 1076-1118 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Srinivas ◽  
V. Kumaran

The modification of soft-wall turbulence in a microchannel due to small amounts of polymer dissolved in water is experimentally studied. The microchannels are of rectangular cross-section with height ${\sim}$160 $\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\text{m}$, width ${\sim}$1.5 mm and length ${\sim}$3 cm, with three walls made of hard polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) gel, and one wall made of soft PDMS gel with an elasticity modulus of ${\sim}$18 kPa. Solutions of polyacrylamide of molecular weight $5\times 10^{6}$ and mass fraction up to 50 ppm, and of molecular weight $4\times 10^{4}$ and mass fraction up to 1500 ppm, are used in the experiments. In all cases, the solutions are in the dilute limit below the critical overlap concentration, and the solution viscosity does not exceed that of water by more than 10 %. Two distinct types of flow modifications are observed below and above a threshold mass fraction for the polymer, $w_{t}$, which is ${\sim}$1 ppm and 500 ppm for the solutions of polyacrylamide with molecular weights $5\times 10^{6}$ and $4\times 10^{4}$, respectively. At or below $w_{t}$, there is no change in the transition Reynolds number, but there is significant turbulence attenuation, by up to a factor of 2 in the root-mean-square velocities and a factor of 4 in the Reynolds stress. When the polymer concentration increases beyond $w_{t}$, there is a decrease in the transition Reynolds number and in the intensity of the turbulent fluctuations. The lowest transition Reynolds number is ${\sim}$35 for the solution of polyacrylamide with molecular weight $5\times 10^{6}$ and mass fraction 50 ppm (in contrast to 260–290 for pure water). The fluctuating velocities in the streamwise and cross-stream directions are lower by a factor of 5, and the Reynolds stress is lower by a factor of 10, in comparison to pure water.


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