Fluent.05.turbulence.ppt

Modeling Turbulent Flows What is Turbulence? Unsteady, irregular (aperiodic) motion in which transported quantities (mass, momentum, scalar species) fluctuate in time and space Identifiable swirling patterns characterizes turbulent eddies. Enhanced mixing (matter, momemtum, energy, etc.) results Fluid properties exhibit random variations Statistical averaging results in accountable, turbulence related transport mechanisms. This characteristic allows for Turbulence Modeling. Wide range in size of turbulent eddies (scales spectrum). Larger eddies derive energy from mean flow; size and velocity on order of mean flow. Larger, higher-energy eddies, transfer energy to smaller eddies via vortex stretching. Smallest eddies convert kinetic energy into thermal energy via viscous dissipation. Is the Flow Turbulent? Choices to be Made Modeling Turbulence Direct numerical simulation (DNS) is the solution of the time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations without recourse to modeling. Mesh must be fine enough to resolve smallest eddies, yet sufficiently large to encompass complete model. Solution is inherently unsteady to capture convecting eddies. DNS is only practical for simple low-Re flows. The need to resolve the full spectrum of scales is not necessary for most engineering applications. Mean flow properties are generally sufficient. Most turbulence models resolve the mean flow. Many different turbulence models are available and used. There’s no single, dominantly superior, universally reliable engineering turbulence model for wide class of flows. Certain models contain more physics that may be better capable of predicting more complex flows including separation, swirl, etc. Modeling Approaches ‘Mean’ flow can be determined by solving a ‘filtered’ set of governing equations. Two approaches: (1) The governing equations are time-averaged (RANS-based models). Transport equations for mean flow quantities are solved. All scales of turbulence are modeled. If mean f low is unsteady, D