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Results for “eddying model”

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 19 records

Modelling mixed-phase clouds with the large-eddy model UCLALES–SALSA

The large-eddy model UCLALES–SALSA, with an exceptionally detailed aerosol description for both aerosol number and chemical composition, has been extended for ice and mixed-phase clouds. Comparison to a previous mixed-phase cloud model intercomparison study confirmed the accuracy of newly implemented ice microphysics. A further simulation with a heterogeneous ice nucleation scheme, in which ice-nucleating particles (INPs) are also a prognostic variable, captured the typical layered structure of Arctic mid-altitude mixed-phase cloud: a liquid layer near cloud top and ice within and below the liquid layer. In addition, the simulation showed a realistic freezing rate of droplets within the vertical cloud structure. The represented detailed sectional ice microphysics with prognostic aerosols is crucially important in reproducing mixed-phase clouds.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Asymptotic coefficients of the attached-eddy model derived from an adiabatic atmosphere

The attached-eddy model (AEM) predicts that the mean streamwise velocity and streamwise velocity variance profiles follow a logarithmic shape, while the vertical velocity variance remains invariant with height in the overlap region of high Reynolds number wall-bounded turbulent flows. Moreover, the AEM coefficients are presumed to attain asymptotically constant values at very high Reynolds numbers. Here, the AEM predictions are examined using sonic anemometer measurements in the near-neutral atmospheric surface layer, with a focus on the logarithmic behaviour of the streamwise velocity variance. Utilizing an extensive 210-day dataset collected from a 62 m meteorological tower located in the Eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho, USA, the inertial sublayer is first identified by analysing the measured momentum flux and mean velocity profiles. The logarithmic behaviour of the streamwise velocity variance and the associated ‘−1’ scaling of the streamwise velocity energy spectra are then investigated. The findings indicate that the Townsend–Perry coefficient (A 1 ) is influenced by mild non-stationarity that manifests itself as a Reynolds number dependence. After excluding non-stationary runs, and requiring the bulk Reynolds number defined using the atmospheric boundary layer height to be larger than 4 × 10 7 , the inferred A 1 converges to values ranging between 1 and 1.25, consistent with laboratory experiments. Furthermore, nine benchmark cases selected through a restrictive quality control reveal a close relation between the ‘−1’ scaling in the streamwise velocity energy spectrum and the logarithmic behaviour of streamwise velocity variance. However, additional data are required to determine whether the plateau value of the pre-multiplied streamwise velocity energy spectrum is identical to A 1 .

atmospheric flows↗

Eddy Current Lift-Off Sensor Model

Eddy current sensors measure the lift-off or distance between the sensor head and a conducting surface. The sensor consists of a conducting coil carrying an alternating electrical current. By Faraday’s Law, a magnetic field is generated within the coil. This field induces electrical current loops within the conducting surface which in turn generate a magnetic field. This induced magnetic field opposes the coil magnetic field and thus, the current in the coil. This reduces the inductance of the coil while increasing its resistance. The strength of the induced magnetic field and consequently the coil inductance are proportional to the lift-off of the coil from the surface. Thus, a measurement of the coil inductance may yield a measure of the lift-off.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Revisiting the validity of eddy viscosity models for predicting airflow over water waves

In this study, we revisit the validity of eddy viscosity models for predicting wave-induced airflow disturbances over ocean surface waves. We first derive a turbulence curvilinear model for the phase-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, extending the work of Cao, Deng & Shen (2020 J. Fluid Mech. 901, A27), by incorporating turbulence stress terms previously neglected in the linearised viscous curvilinear model. To verify our formulation, we perform a priori tests by numerically solving the model using mean wind and turbulence stress profiles from large-eddy simulations (LES) of airflow over waves across various wave ages. Results show that including turbulence stress terms improves wave-induced airflow predictions compared with the previous viscous curvilinear model. We further show that using a standard mixing-length eddy viscosity yields inaccurate predictions at certain wave ages, as it fails to capture wave-induced turbulence, which fundamentally differs from mean shear-driven turbulence. The LES data show that accurate representations of wave-induced stresses require a complex-valued eddy viscosity. The maximum magnitude of this eddy viscosity scales as ∼𝑢 𝜏 ⁢𝜁 𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑟 , where 𝑢 𝜏 is the friction velocity and 𝜁 𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑟 is the inner-layer thickness, the height at which the eddy-turnover time matches the wave advection time scale. This scaling aligns with the prediction by Belcher & Hunt (1993 J. Fluid Mech. 251, 109–148). Overall, the findings demonstrate that traditional eddy viscosity models are inadequate for capturing wave-induced turbulence. More sophisticated turbulence models are essential for the accurate prediction of airflow disturbances and form drag in wind–wave interaction models.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

Hybrid large-eddy simulation with adaptive downstream anisotropic eddy viscosity model

Turbulence pervades most flows of engineering interest, and its prediction remains a challenge on both accuracy and cost. One promising predictive approach that reduces cost combines large-eddy simulation (LES) with simulation based on Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equations (RANS). This study presents a method to overcome stability and accuracy issues associated with these hybrid LES-RANS methods. The method developed involves extracting the Reynolds stresses from the upstream LES solution and then using that information to convert the downstream RANS model from a scalar eddy-viscosity model to an anisotropic nonlinear eddy-viscosity model. The method developed differs from the downstream tensorial eddy-viscosity model by being independent of the coordinate system. The method developed was evaluated by computing film cooling of a flat plate with the coolant injected through one row of circular holes. Results obtained show instabilities at the LES-to-RANS interface to be eliminated. Also, the method developed yielded solutions that compare reasonably well with those from LES, even though a significant portion of the flow is computed by the adapted anisotropic RANS model instead of LES, which significantly reduced the number of grid points and computational time needed. Since modification of the downstream RANS model is based on information extracted from the upstream LES solution, the method developed is adaptive to the problem being studied.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Eddy Current Model of a Coil Over An Infinite Perfectly Electrical Conductor (PEC) Half-Plane

Eddy current sensors measure the lift-off or distance between the sensor and a conducting surface. They operate on the principle of an alternating current in a conduction coil inducing a magnetic field within the surface. An eddy current is set up in the surface to counter the incident magnetic field which, in turn, sets up a magnetic field which counters that of the coil. This changes the coil impedance which is a function of the lift-off. As the lift-off increases, the effect of the eddy current magnetic field on the coil magnetic field weakens, resulting in a higher inductance and lower resistance. Thus, the lift-off may be derived from an impedance measurement. Dodd and Deeds developed an analytic model for an eddy current sensor coil impedance with an air core which has been implemented in MATLAB. LLNL assembled an eddy current sensor with a mu-metal core for which there is no analytic model. Rather than derive an analytic model which includes the mu-metal core, analytic empirically based functions are derived to map the Dodd and Deeds model to measured inductance and resistance.

42 ENGINEERING↗

ThinCurr: An open-source 3D thin-wall eddy current modeling code for the analysis of large-scale systems of conducting structures

In this paper we present a new thin-wall eddy current modeling code, ThinCurr, for studying inductively-coupled currents in 3D conducting structures -- with primary application focused on the interaction between currents flowing in coils, plasma, and conducting structures of magnetically-confined plasma devices. The code utilizes a boundary finite element method on an unstructured, triangular grid to accurately capture device structures. The new code, part of the broader Open FUSION Toolkit, is open-source and designed for ease of use without sacrificing capability and speed through a combination of Python, Fortran, and C/C++ components. Scalability to large models is enabled through use of hierarchical off-diagonal low-rank compression of the inductance matrix, which is otherwise dense. Ease of handling large models of complicated geometry is further supported by automatic determination of supplemental elements through a greedy homology approach. Here, a detailed description of the numerical methods of the code and verification of the implementation of those methods using cross-code comparisons against the VALEN code and Ansys commercial analysis software is shown.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Decadal Variability of Southeast US Rainfall in an Eddying Global Coupled Model

Abstract Ocean variability is a dominant source of remote rainfall predictability, but in many cases the physical mechanisms driving this predictability are not fully understood. This study examines how ocean mesoscales (i.e., the Gulf Stream SST front) affect decadal Southeast US (SEUS) rainfall, arguing that the local imprint of large‐scale teleconnections is sensitive to resolved mesoscale features. Based on global coupled model experiments with eddying and eddy‐parameterizing ocean, we find that a resolved Gulf Stream improves localized rainfall and remote circulation response in the SEUS. The eddying model generally improves the air‐sea interactions in the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Subtropical High that modulate SEUS rainfall over decadal timescales. The eddy‐parameterizing simulation fails to capture the sharp SST gradient associated with the Gulf Stream and overestimates the role of tropical Pacific SST anomalies in the SEUS rainfall.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Intensification of future subsurface marine heatwaves in an eddy-resolving model

A shift in depth range enables marine organisms to adapt to marine heatwaves (MHWs). Subsurface MHWs could limit this pathway, yet their response to climate warming remains unclear. Here, using an eddy-resolving Earth system model forced under a high emission scenario, we project a robust global increase in subsurface MHWs driven by rising subsurface mean temperatures and enhanced temperature variability. Historically, maximum MHW intensity occurs around 100m depth, which shifts to the faster-warming surface under greenhouse warming. However, removing the long-term warming trend yields an increase in subsurface MHW intensity and annual days greater than that at the surface, especially in large marine ecosystem regions, primarily due to increased variability. Additionally, days of the surface and subsurface concurrent event increase ten times more than those of individual events. Our study highlights a heightened threat to marine organisms under global warming, as the increased subsurface heatwaves reduce their refuge options.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Adaptive Determination of the Optimal Exchange Location in Wall-Modeled Large-Eddy Simulation

Wall-modeled large-eddy simulation introduces a modeling interface (or exchange location) separating the wall-modeled layer from the rest of the domain. The current state-of-the-art is to rely on user expertise when choosing where to place this modeling interface, whether this choice is tied to the grid or not. This paper presents a postprocessing algorithm that determines the exchange location systematically. The algorithm is based on a model for the error in the predicted wall shear stress and a model for the computational cost, and then finds the exchange location that minimizes a combination of the two. Here, the algorithm is tested both a priori and a posteriori using an equilibrium wall model for the flow over a wall-mounted hump, a boundary layer in an adverse pressure gradient, and a shock/boundary-layer interaction. The algorithm produces exchange locations that mostly agree with what an experienced user would suggest, with thinner wall-modeled layers in nonequilibrium flow regions and thicker wall-modeled layers where the boundary layer is closer to equilibrium. This suggests that the algorithm should be useful in simulations of realistic and highly complex geometries.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Threat by marine heatwaves to adaptive large marine ecosystems in an eddy-resolving model

Marine heatwaves (MHWs), episodic periods of abnormally high sea surface temperature, severely affect marine ecosystems. Large marine ecosystems (LMEs) cover ~22% of the global ocean but account for 95% of global fisheries catches. Yet how climate change affects MHWs over LMEs remains unknown because such LMEs are confined to the coast where low-resolution climate models are known to have biases. Here, using a high-resolution Earth system model and applying a ‘future threshold’ that considers MHWs as anomalous warming above the long-term mean warming of sea surface temperatures, we find that future intensity and annual days of MHWs over the majority of the LMEs remain higher than in the present-day climate. Better resolution of ocean mesoscale eddies enables simulation of more realistic MHWs than low-resolution models. These increases in MHWs under global warming pose a serious threat to LMEs, even if resident organisms could adapt fully to the long-term mean warming.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Residual estimation for grid modification in wall-modeled large eddy simulation using unstructured high-order methods

Here, the accuracy and computational cost of a large eddy simulation are highly dependent on the computational grid. Building optimal grids manually from a priori knowledge is not feasible in most practical use cases; instead, solution-adaptive strategies can provide a robust and cost-efficient method to generate a grid with the desired accuracy. We adapt the residual estimation algorithm developed by Toosi and Larsson for Discontinuous Galerkin Spectral Elements Methods (DGSEM) to guide the grid-adaptation process. The core of the method is the computation of the estimated modeling residual using the polynomial basis functions used in DGSEM, and the averaging of the estimated residual over each element. The final method is assessed in multiple channel flow test cases and for the transonic flow over an airfoil, in both cases making use of mortar interfaces between elements with hanging nodes. The method is found to be robust and reliable, and to provide solutions on grids with significantly fewer elements at comparable accuracy compared to when using human-generated grids.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Design of passive and structural conductors for tokamaks using thin-wall eddy current modeling

Abstract A new three-dimensional electromagnetic modeling tool ( ThinCurr ) has been developed using the existing PSI-Tet finite-element code in support of conducting structure design work for both the SPARC and DIII-D tokamaks. Within this framework a 3D conducting structure model was created for both the SPARC and DIII-D tokamaks in the thin-wall limit. This model includes accurate details of the vacuum vessel and other conducting structural elements with realistic material resistivities. This model was leveraged to support the design of a passive runaway electron mitigation coil (REMC), studying the effect of various design parameters, including coil resistivity, current quench duration, and plasma vertical position, on the effectiveness of the coil. The REMC is a non-axisymmetric coil designed to passively drive large non-axisymmetric fields during the plasma disruption thereby destroying flux surfaces and deconfining RE seed populations. These studies indicate that current designs should apply substantial 3D fields at the plasma surface during future plasma current disruptions as well as highlight the importance of having the REMC conductors away from the machine midplane in order to ensure they are robust to off-normal disruption scenarios.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Co-optimized machine-learned manifold models for large eddy simulation of turbulent combustion

Many modeling approaches in large eddy simulation (LES) of turbulent combustion employ a projection of the thermochemical state onto a low-dimensional manifold within state space to reduce the number of transported variables and hence computational cost. Flamelet-generated manifolds (FGM) is an example of a well-established, physics-based approach, but increasingly, principal component analysis (PCA) is being used as a data-driven method for generating manifold models. For both approaches, the nonlinear relationship between the location on the predefined manifold and the outputs of interest, such as reaction rates, can be tabulated or encoded in a neural network. This work proposes a new approach for manifold modeling that extends these existing approaches. A modified neural network structure simultaneously encodes the definition of the manifold variables, the nonlinear mapping, and the subfilter closure for LES. This allows all three of these aspects of the model to be co-optimized, generating a model from any source of combustion thermochemical state data. The manifold parameterizing variables are constrained to be linear combinations of species, as in FGM and PCA-based models, to aid in interpretability and implementation. For LES, subfilter variances of the manifold variables are also included as inputs. Two types of a priori analysis are performed to evaluate the new approach. In the first, the model is trained on data from one-dimensional premixed flames. In this case, the approach recovers the behavior of flamelet-based manifold approaches, and in fact slightly improves performance by identifying an optimized progress variable. The approach is also applied to data from direct numerical simulations of spherical ignition kernels in isotropic turbulence. For any specified manifold dimensionality, the new approach provides substantially lower prediction errors than a PCA-based model developed from the same data set. Additionally, the LES formulation of the new approach can provide accurate predictions for filtered reaction rates across a variety of filter widths.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Baroclinic Control of Southern Ocean Eddy Upwelling Near Topography

In the Southern Ocean, mesoscale eddies contribute to the upwelling of deep waters along sloping isopycnals, helping to close the upper branch of the meridional overturning circulation. Eddy energy (EE) is not uniformly distributed along the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Instead, “hotspots” of EE that are associated with enhanced eddy-induced upwelling exist downstream of topographic features. This study shows that, in idealized eddy-resolved simulations, a topographic feature in the ACC path can enhance and localize eddy-induced upwelling. However, the upwelling systematically occurs in regions where eddies grow through baroclinic instability, rather than in regions where EE is large. Across a range of parameters, along-stream eddy growth rate is a more reliable indicator of eddy upwelling than traditional parameterizations such as eddy kinetic energy, eddy potential energy, or isopycnal slope. Ocean eddy parameterizations should consider metrics specific to the growth of baroclinic instability to accurately model eddy upwelling near topography.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Two self-similar Reynolds-stress transport models with anisotropic eddy viscosity

Two Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes models with full Reynolds-stress transport (RST) and tensor eddy viscosity are presented. These new models represent RST extensions of the $k−2L−a−\mathscr{C}$ and $k−ϕ−L−a−\mathscr{C}$ models by Morgan. Self-similarity analysis is used to derive constraints on model coefficients required to reproduce expected growth parameters for a variety of canonical flows, including Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) mixing layers. Both models are then applied in one-dimensional simulation of RT and KH mixing layers, and the expected self-similar growth rates and anisotropy are obtained. Next, models are applied in two-dimensional simulation of the so-called “tilted rocket rig” inclined RT experiment and in simulation of a shock-accelerated localized patch of turbulence. Here it is found that RST is required to capture the qualitative growth of the shock-accelerated patch, and an anisotropic eddy viscosity provides substantial improvement over a Boussinesq treatment for the tilted rocket rig problem.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗