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Results for “turbulence theory and modelling”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 37 records · Page 2
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NASA NTRS1995

Intermittent turbulence in solar wind from the south polar hole

The magnetic fields measured by the Ulysses spacecraft are used to study solar wind turbulence in the fast solar wind from the south polar hole. The spacecraft was at about 46 deg south latitude and 3.9 AU. For a magnetic field with a Gaussian distribution the power spectrum (second-order structure function) is sufficient to completely characterize the turbulence. However, the actual distribution is non-Gaussian so that the effects of intermittency must be taken into account. The observed spectral exponents include effects of intermittency and cannot be directly compared with the standard second-order spectral theories such as the Kolmogorov and Kraichnan theories. To permit a better comparison of the observations with the theoretical models, we study the structure characteristics of the data. We find the exponents of the second-order structure functions (power spectra) and the higher-order normalized structure functions for the components of the magnetic fields. We show that these sets of exponents can be approximately described by two basic numbers: the spectral exponent and the intermittency exponent. The intermittency exponent characterizes correlation properties of the energy cascade from large to small scales. Before comparing the observations to the theoretically expected values, a reduction must be made to the observed spectral exponent. The amount of the reduction depends on both the intermittency exponent and the model of the energy cascade assumed in the turbulence theory. We reduce the measured spectral indices according to a simple model for Alfven turbulence that is described here. We then compare our reduced spectral indices with second-order spectral theory. The reduced spectral indices for the period range of 1 min to about a half hour are remarkably constant and in good agreement with the value of 3/2. Thus our treatment is self-consistent. Our tentative conclusion is that the high-frequency turbulence appears to agree with the model of random-phased Alfven waves. This tentative conclusion must be tested by further theoretical and observational work.

Ruzmaikin, A. A.↗
NASA NTRS1971

The spectrum of steady state turbulent convection.

Based on Heisenberg's statistical theory of turbulence, a model for steady state turbulent convection is herein proposed, and on the basis of this model, equations for the energy spectrum for steady state turbulent convection are derived. The spectrum is obtained from the solution of a nonlinear integral equation. After the integral equation is brought into a universally valid nondimensional form, it is transformed into a nonlinear first order differential equation to be solved numerically, with the Rayleigh number appearing as the only parameter. The energy spectrum has a substantial deviation from the Kolmogoroff law, as a result of the buoyancy force acting on the rising and falling eddies. The presented theory may be applicable to convection in planetary and stellar atmospheres wherein the radiative heat transport is small.

Winterberg, F.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Advances in Multivalued-Velocity Theory of Turbulence

Developments reported in modeling of fluid turbulence as superposition of number of interpenetrating velocity fields. Multivalued-velocity model has practical implications in design of aircraft, turbines, nozzles, pumps, and other systems that involve turbulent flow. In both viscous and inviscid cases, equations made to predict stable regine of oscillations, both finite and independent of initial conditions as in case of real turbulence.

Zak, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Efficiency of a statistical transport model for turbulent particle dispersion

In developing its theory for turbulent dispersion transport, the Litchford and Jeng (1991) statistical transport model for turbulent particle dispersion took a generalized approach in which the perturbing influence of each turbulent eddy on consequent interactions was transported through all subsequent eddies. Nevertheless, examinations of this transport relation shows it to be able to decay rapidly: this implies that additional computational efficiency may be obtained via truncation of unneccessary transport terms. Attention is here given to the criterion for truncation, as well as to expected efficiency gains.

Litchford, Ron J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Second Moment Closure Near the Two-component Limit

The purpose of this paper is to explore some wider implications of the two-component limit for both single point turbulence models and spectral closure theories. Although the two-component limit arises most naturally in inhomogeneous problems like wall-bounded turbulence, the analysis will be restricted to homogeneous turbulence. But since homogeneous turbulence is the crucial case for realizability, the conclusions will nevertheless be applicable to modeling. Th essential point of our argument is that whereas the evolution of the stochastic velocity field is Markovian because it is governed by the Navier-Stokes equations, the exact stress evolution equation is not Markovian because it is unclosed. This property of moment evolution has been stressed by Kraichnan (1959). We will show that modeling stress evolution at the two-component limit with a closure that is Markovian in the stresses alone leads to basic inconsistencies in single-point modeling and, perhaps surprisingly, in spectral modes as well.

Rubinstein, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1993

Test of a new theory for stellar convection using helioseismology

Two evolutionary models of the sun have been tested using helioseismological data. The two models use the same input microphysics (nuclear reaction rates, opacity, equation of state) and the same numerical evolutionary code, but differ in the treatment of turbulent convection. The first model employs the standard mixing - length theory of convection, while the second one employs a new turbulent convection model which overcomes some basic inconsistencies of the standard theory of convection. The test rests on the calculation of p-mode eigenfrequencies and on the comparison with the helioseismological data. The comparison shows an overall improvement of the eigenfrequencies calculated with the new model with respect to those calculated with the standard model, although it appears that both models still suffer from inaccuracies especially in the treatment of the surface layers.

Paterno, L.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Effect of anisotropic turbulence on aerodynamic noise

A model based on Lighthill's theory for predicting aerodynamic noise from a turbulent shear flow is developed. This model is a generalization of the one developed by Ribner. It does not require that the turbulent correlations factor into space and time-dependent parts. It replaces his assumption of isotropic turbulence by the more realistic one of axisymmetric turbulence. In the course of the analysis, a hierarchy of equations is developed wherein each succeeding equation involves more assumptions than the preceding equation but requires less experimental information for its use. The implications of the model for jet noise are discussed. It is shown that for the particular turbulence data considered anisotropy causes the high-frequency self-noise to be beamed downstream.

Goldstein, M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development of a recursion RNG-based turbulence model

Reynolds stress closure models based on the recursion renormalization group theory are developed for the prediction of turbulent separated flows. The proposed model uses a finite wavenumber truncation scheme to account for the spectral distribution of energy. In particular, the model incorporates effects of both local and nonlocal interactions. The nonlocal interactions are shown to yield a contribution identical to that from the epsilon-renormalization group (RNG), while the local interactions introduce higher order dispersive effects. A formal analysis of the model is presented and its ability to accurately predict separated flows is analyzed from a combined theoretical and computational stand point. Turbulent flow past a backward facing step is chosen as a test case and the results obtained based on detailed computations demonstrate that the proposed recursion -RNG model with finite cut-off wavenumber can yield very good predictions for the backstep problem.

Zhou, YE↗
NASA NTRS1991

Stellar turbulent convection - A new model and applications

Improvements of the mixing-length theory (MLT) of turbulent convection in stellar atmospheres are developed theoretically. It is pointed out that inaccuracies are introduced into MLT by the approximating assumptions of a single large eddy (rather than many eddies of different sizes) and of incompressibility. In the proposed new model, the full spectrum of turbulent eddies is determined using more recent turbulence models (e.g., the eddy-damped quasi-normal Markovian model of Orszag, 1977), and a new formula for the convective flux is obtained which gives values up to 10 times greater than those of the MLT at high convective efficiencies. The problem of compressibility is addressed by adding one of two new expressions (one with no free parameters) for the mixing length. Numerical results from simulations of a solar-type star and a 0.8-solar-mass globular-cluster star are presented in tables and graphs and discussed in detail; the agreement with observations is found to be better than with the MLT.

Canuto, V. M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Shock Wave Dynamics in Weakly Ionized Plasmas

An investigation of the dynamics of shock waves in weakly ionized argon plasmas has been performed using a pressure ruptured shock tube. The velocity of the shock is observed to increase when the shock traverses the plasma. The observed increases cannot be accounted for by thermal effects alone. Possible mechanisms that could explain the anomalous behavior include a vibrational/translational relaxation in the nonequilibrium plasma, electron diffusion across the shock front resulting from high electron mobility, and the propagation of ion-acoustic waves generated at the shock front. Using a turbulence model based on reduced kinetic theory, analysis of the observed results suggest a role for turbulence in anomalous shock dynamics in weakly ionized media and plasma-induced hypersonic drag reduction.

Johnson, Joseph A., III↗
NASA NTRS1978

Gain degradation and amplitude scintillation due to tropospheric turbulence

It is shown that a simple physical model is adequate for the prediction of the long term statistics of both the reduced signal levels and increased peak-to-peak fluctuations. The model is based on conventional atmospheric turbulence theory and incorporates both amplitude and angle of arrival fluctuations. This model predicts the average variance of signals observed under clear air conditions at low elevation angles on earth-space paths at 2, 7.3, 20 and 30 GHz. Design curves based on this model for gain degradation, realizable gain, amplitude fluctuation as a function of antenna aperture size, frequency, and either terrestrial path length or earth-space path elevation angle are presented.

Theobold, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Validation of Heat Transfer and Film Cooling Capabilities of the 3-D RANS Code TURBO

The capabilities of the 3-D unsteady RANS code TURBO have been extended to include heat transfer and film cooling applications. The results of simulations performed with the modified code are compared to experiment and to theory, where applicable. Wilcox s k-turbulence model has been implemented to close the RANS equations. Two simulations are conducted: (1) flow over a flat plate and (2) flow over an adiabatic flat plate cooled by one hole inclined at 35 to the free stream. For (1) agreement with theory is found to be excellent for heat transfer, represented by local Nusselt number, and quite good for momentum, as represented by the local skin friction coefficient. This report compares the local skin friction coefficients and Nusselt numbers on a flat plate obtained using Wilcox's k-model with the theory of Blasius. The study looks at laminar and turbulent flows over an adiabatic flat plate and over an isothermal flat plate for two different wall temperatures. It is shown that TURBO is able to accurately predict heat transfer on a flat plate. For (2) TURBO shows good qualitative agreement with film cooling experiments performed on a flat plate with one cooling hole. Quantitatively, film effectiveness is under predicted downstream of the hole.

Shyam, Vikram↗
NASA NTRS2020

Beam Propagation Through Atmospheric Turbulence Using an Altitude-Dependent Structure Profile with Non-Uniformly Distributed Phase Screens

For free-space optical communication systems, numerical wave optics simulations provide a useful technique for modeling turbulence-induced beam degradation when the analytical theory is insufficient for characterizing the atmospheric channel. Motivated by such applications we use a split-step method modeling the turbulence as a series of random phase screens using the Hufnagel-Valley turbulence profile. We employ a space-to-ground case study to examine the irradiance and phase statistics for uniformly and non-uniformly located screens and find better agreement with theory using a non-uniform discretization minimizing the contribution of each screen to the total scintillation. In this poster, we summarize the method and the results of the case study including a comparison to layered models used in astronomical imaging applications.

Chahine, Yousef K.↗
NASA NTRS1992

On the Yakhot-Orszag renormalization group method for deriving turbulence statistics and models

An independent, comprehensive, critical review of the 'renormalization group' (RNG) theory of turbulence developed by Yakhot and Orszag (1986) is provided. Their basic theory for the Navier-Stokes equations is confirmed, and approximations in the scale removal procedure are discussed. The YO derivations of the velocity-derivative skewness and the transport equation for the energy dissipation rate are examined. An algebraic error in the derivation of the skewness is corrected. The corrected RNG skewness value of -0.59 is in agreement with experiments at moderate Reynolds numbers. Several problems are identified in the derivation of the energy dissipation rate equations which suggest that the derivation should be reformulated.

Smith, L. M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Role of secondary instability theory and parabolized stability equations in transition modeling

In modeling the laminar-turbulent transition region, the designer depends largely on benchmark data from experiments and/or direct numerical simulations that are usually extremely expensive. An understanding of the evolution of the Reynolds stresses, turbulent kinetic energy, and quantifies in the transport equations like the dissipation and production is essential in the modeling process. The secondary instability theory and the parabolized stability equations method are used to calculate these quantities, which are then compared with corresponding quantities calculated from available direct numerical simulation data for the incompressible boundary-layer flow of laminar-turbulent transition conditions. The potential of the secondary instability theory and the parabolized stability equations approach in predicting these quantities is discussed; results indicate that inexpensive data that are useful for transition modeling in the early stages of the transition region can be provided by these tools.

El-Hady, Nabil M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A theory for turbulent curved wall jets

A simple theoretical model is proposed to describe the flow of a turbulent wall jet along a curved surface into a quiescent atmosphere. An integral method is used to solve the momentum equation and identifies three contributions to the spreading rate of the wall jet: (1) turbulent diffusion in the wall jet; (2) wall curvature; and (3) rate of change of wall curvature. Closed from approximate solutions are found for the case of a plane wall, a circular cylinder, and a logarithmic spiral surface. Comparison with experimental data for these three cases is made showing good agreement.

Roberts, Leonard↗
NASA NTRS1989

Numerical test of weak turbulence theory

The analytic theory of weak Langmuir turbulence is well known, but very little has previously been done to compare its predictions with numerical solutions of the basic dynamical evolution equations. In this paper, numerical solutions of the statistical weak turbulence theory are compared with numerical solutions of the Zakharov model of Langmuir turbulence, and good agreement in certain regimes of very weak field strength is found.

Payne, G. L.↗