Influence of the Axisymmetric Contraction Ratio on Free-Stream Turbulence

1976 ◽  
Vol 98 (3) ◽  
pp. 506-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Ramjee ◽  
A. K. M. F. Hussain

The effect of axisymmetric contractions of a given shape and of contraction ratios c = 11, 22, 44.5, 64, and 100 on the free-stream turbulence of an incompressible flow has been studied experimentally with hot-wires. It is found that the longitudinal and lateral kinetic energies of turbulence increase along the contraction. The monotonic increase of the longitudinal turbulent kinetic energy with increasing c is in contrast with the linear (Batchelor-Proudman-Ribner-Tucker) theory. The variation of the lateral turbulent kinetic energy with c is in qualitative agreement with the theory; however, the increase is much lower than that predicted by the theory. The linear theory overpredicts the decrease in the longitudinal turbulence intensity with increasing c and under-predicts the decrease in the lateral turbulence intensity with increasing c. For the given flow tunnel, it is found that a contraction ratio c greater than about 45 is not greatly effective in reducing longitudinal turbulence levels further; the lateral turbulent intensity continues to decrease with increasing c. In the design of a low turbulence-level tunnel, the panacea for the reduction of the turbulence level does not lie in an indefinite increase of the contraction ratio alone. Studies with various upstream screens and a given contraction of c = 11 suggest that the exit turbulence intensities are essentially independent of the Reynolds number based on the screen-mesh size or screen-wire diameter of the upstream screen.

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hosein Foroutan ◽  
Savas Yavuzkurt

A low-Reynolds number k-ε model for simulation of turbulent flow with high free stream turbulence is developed which can successfully predict turbulent kinetic energy profiles, skin friction coefficient, and Stanton number under high free stream turbulence. Modifications incorporating the effects of free stream velocity and length scale are applied. These include an additional term in turbulent kinetic energy transport equation, as well as reformulation of the coefficient in turbulent viscosity equation. The present model is implemented in OpenFOAM CFD code and applied together with other well-known versions of low-Reynolds number k-ε model in flow and heat transfer calculations in a flat plate turbulent boundary layer. Three different test cases based on the initial values of the free stream turbulence intensity (1%, 6.53%, and 25.7%) are considered and models predictions are compared with available experimental data. Results indicate that almost all low-Reynolds number k-ε models, including the present model, give reasonably good results for low free stream turbulence intensity case (1%). However, deviations between current k-ε models predictions and data become larger as turbulence intensity increases. Turbulent kinetic energy levels obtained from these models for very high turbulence intensity (25.7%) show as much as 100% underprediction while skin friction coefficient and Stanton number are overpredicted by more than 70%. Applying the present modifications, predictions of skin friction coefficient, and Stanton number improve considerably (only 15% and 8% deviations in average for very high free stream turbulence intensity). Turbulent kinetic energy levels are vastly improved within the boundary layer as well. It seems like the new developed model can capture the physics of the high free stream turbulence effects.


Author(s):  
Hosein Foroutan ◽  
Savas Yavuzkurt

A low Reynolds number k-ε model for simulation of turbulent flow with high free stream turbulence is developed which can successfully predict turbulent kinetic energy profiles, skin friction coefficient and Stanton number under high free stream turbulence. Modifications incorporating the effects of free stream velocity and length scale are applied. These include an additional term in turbulent kinetic energy transport equation, as well as reformulation of the coefficient in turbulent viscosity equation. The present model is implemented in OpenFOAM CFD code and applied together with other well-known versions of low Reynolds number k-ε model in flow and heat transfer calculations in a flat plate turbulent boundary layer. Three different test cases based on the initial values of the free stream turbulence intensity (1%, 6.53% and 25.7%) are considered and models predictions are compared with available experimental data. Results indicate that almost all low Reynolds number k-ε models, including the present model, give reasonably good results for low free stream turbulence intensity case (1%). However, deviations between current k-ε models predictions and data become larger as turbulence intensity increases. Turbulent kinetic energy levels obtained from these models for very high turbulence intensity (25.7%) show as much as 100% underprediction while skin friction coefficient and Stanton number are overpredicted by more than 70%. Applying the present modifications, predictions of skin friction coefficient and Stanton number improve considerably (only 15% and 8% deviations in average for very high free stream turbulence intensity). Turbulent kinetic energy levels are vastly improved within the boundary layer as well. It seems like the new developed model can capture the physics of the high free stream turbulence effects.


1997 ◽  
Vol 119 (3) ◽  
pp. 405-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Mayle ◽  
A. Schulz

A theory is presented for calculating the fluctuations in a laminar boundary layer when the free stream is turbulent. The kinetic energy equation for these fluctuations is derived and a new mechanism is revealed for their production. A methodology is presented for solving the equation using standard boundary layer computer codes. Solutions of the equation show that the fluctuations grow at first almost linearly with distance and then more slowly as viscous dissipation becomes important. Comparisons of calculated growth rates and kinetic energy profiles with data show good agreement. In addition, a hypothesis is advanced for the effective forcing frequency and free-stream turbulence level that produce these fluctuations. Finally, a method to calculate the onset of transition is examined and the results compared to data.


Author(s):  
R. E. Mayle ◽  
A. Schulz

A theory is presented for calculating the fluctuations in a laminar boundary layer when the free stream is turbulent. The kinetic energy equation for these fluctuations is derived and a new mechanism is revealed for their production. A methodology is presented for solving the equation using standard boundary layer computer codes. Solutions of the equation show that the fluctuations grow at first almost linearly with distance and then more slowly as viscous dissipation becomes important. Comparisons of calculated growth rates and kinetic energy profiles with data show good agreement. In addition, a hypothesis is advanced for the effective forcing frequency and free-stream turbulence level which produce these fluctuations. Finally, a method to calculate the onset of transition is examined and the results compared to data.


Author(s):  
Savas Yavuzkurt ◽  
Ganesh R. Iyer

A modified low-Reynolds number k-ε model (named YI-diffn. model) for predicting effects of high free stream turbulence (FST) on momentum transport and heat transfer in a flat plate turbulent boundary layer is presented. An additional turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) diffusion term incorporating the effects of FST intensity (velocity scale) and length scale was included in the TKE equation. This model was developed with experience from many years of experimental and theoretical studies in the area of high FST flows. The constant cμ in the equation for the transport coefficient μt was modified using experimental data. These modifications were applied to a well-tested k-ε model (K-Y Chien called KYC in this study) under high FST conditions (initial FST intensity, Tui > 5%). Models were implemented in a 2-D boundary layer code. The high FST zero pressure gradient data sets against which the predictions (in the turbulent region) were compared had initial FST intensities of 6.53% and 25.7%. In a previous paper, it was shown that predictions of the original k-ε models became poorer (over prediction up to more than 50% for skin friction coefficient and Stanton number, and under prediction of TKE up to more than 50%) as FST increased to about 26%. In comparison, the new model developed here provided excellent results (within ±3% of experimental data) for skin friction coefficient and Stanton number for both the data sets. TKE results were excellent for Tui = 6.53%, but have scope for improvement in the case of Tui = 25.7%. The present model incorporates physics of transport of free stream turbulence in turbulence modeling and provides a new method for simulating flows with high FST. Future work will focus upon improving the model further and applying it to practical applications like flow over gas turbine blades.


1989 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. MacMullin ◽  
W. Elrod ◽  
R. Rivir

The effects of the longitudinal turbulence intensity parameter of free-stream turbulence (FST) on heat transfer were studied using the aggressive flow characteristics of a circular tangential wall jet over a constant heat flux surface. Profile measurements of velocity, temperature, integral length scale, and spectra were obtained at downstream locations (2 to 20 x/D) and turbulence intensities (7 to 18 percent). The results indicated that the Stanton number (St) and friction factor (Cf) increased with increasing turbulence intensity. The Reynolds analogy factor (2St/Cf) increased up to turbulence intensities of 12 percent, then became constant, and decreased after 15 percent. This factor was also found to be dependent on the Reynolds number (Rex) and plate configuration. The influence of length scale, as found by previous researchers, was inconclusive at the conditions tested.


Author(s):  
M. Dellacasagrande ◽  
R. Guida ◽  
D. Lengani ◽  
D. Simoni ◽  
M. Ubaldi ◽  
...  

Experimental data describing laminar separation bubbles developing under strong adverse pressure gradients, typical of Ultra-High-Lift turbine blades, have been analyzed to define empirical correlations able to predict the main features of the separated flow transition. Tests have been performed for three different Reynolds numbers and three different free-stream turbulence intensity levels. For each condition, around 4000 Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) snapshots have been acquired. A wavelet based intermittency detection technique, able to identify the large scale vortices shed as a consequence of the separation, has been applied to the large amount of data to efficiently compute the intermittency function for the different conditions. The transition onset and end positions, as well as the turbulent spot production rate are evaluated. Thanks to the recent advancements in the understanding on the role played by Reynolds number and free-stream turbulence intensity on the dynamics leading to transition in separated flows, guest functions are proposed in the paper to fit the data. The proposed functions are able to mimic the effects of Reynolds number and free-stream turbulence intensity level on the receptivity process of the boundary layer in the attached part, on the disturbance exponential growth rate observed in the linear stability region of the separated shear layer, as well as on the nonlinear later stage of completing transition. Once identified the structure of the correlation functions, a fitting process with own and literature data allowed us to calibrate the unknown constants. Results reported in the paper show the ability of the proposed correlations to adequately predict the transition process in the case of separated flows. The correlation for the spot production rate here proposed extends the correlations proposed in liter-ature for attached (by-pass like) transition process, and could be used in γ–Reϑ codes, where the spot production rate appears as a source term in the intermittency function transport equation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 926 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Burton ◽  
S. Wang ◽  
D. Tudball Smith ◽  
H. N. Scott ◽  
T. N. Crouch ◽  
...  

The discovery of wake bistability has generated an upsurge in experimental investigations into the wakes of simplified vehicle geometries. Particular focus has centred on the probabilistic switching between two asymmetrical bistable wake states of a square-back Ahmed body; however, the majority of this research has been undertaken in wind tunnels with turbulence intensities of less than $1\,\%$ , considerably lower than typical atmospheric levels. To better simulate bistability under on-road conditions, in which turbulence intensities can easily reach levels of $10\,\%$ or more, this experimental study investigates the effects of free-stream turbulence on the bistability characteristics of the square-back Ahmed body. Through passive generation and quantification of the free-stream turbulent conditions, a monotonic correlation was found between the switching rate and free-stream turbulence intensity.


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