The statistical properties of species undergoing chemical reactions in a turbulent environment are studied. We focus on the case of reversible multi-component reactions of second and higher orders, in a condition close to chemical equilibrium sustained by random large-scale reactant sources, while the turbulent flow is highly developed. In such a state a competition exists between the chemical reaction that tends to dump reactant concentration fluctuations and enhance their correlation intensity and the turbulent mixing that on the contrary increases fluctuations and remove relative correlations. We show that a unique control parameter, the Damkhöler number ($Da_θ$) that can be constructed from the scalar Taylor micro-scale, the reactant diffusivity and the reaction rate characterises the functional dependence of fluctuations and correlations in a variety of conditions, i.e., at changing the reaction order, the Reynolds and the Schmidt numbers. The larger is such a Damkhöler number the more depleted are the scalar fluctuations as compared to the fluctuations of a passive scalar field in the same conditions, and vice-versa the more intense are the correlations. A saturation in this behaviour is observed beyond $Da_θ\simeq \mathcal{O}(10)$. We provide an analytical prediction for this phenomenon which is in excellent agreement with direct numerical simulation results.
A derivation of the "exact" two-point equations analogous to those used as a basis for one-point Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence model for variable density, incompressible turbulence. The purpose is to present the statistical correlations that must be dealt with to yield a two-point, or alternatively, a spectral model of variable density turbulence.
Using a recent alternative form of the Kolmogorov-Monin exact relation for fully developed hydrodynamics (HD) turbulence, the incompressible energy cascade rate $\varepsilon$ is computed. Under this current theoretical framework, for three-dimensional (3D) freely decaying homogeneous turbulence, the statistical properties of the fluid velocity (${\bf u}$), vorticity ($\boldsymbol ω= \boldsymbol\nabla \times {\bf u}$) and Lamb vector ($\boldsymbol{\cal L}= \boldsymbol ω\times {\bf u})$ are numerically studied. For different spatial resolutions, the numerical results show that $\varepsilon$ can …
A coarse-grained particle model for incompressible Navier-Stokes (NS) equation is proposed based on spatial filtering by utilizing smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) approximations. This model is similar to our previous developed SPH discretization of NS equation ({\it Hu X.Y. & N.A. Adams, J. Comput. Physics}, 227: 264-278, 2007 and 228: 2082-2091, 2009) and the Lagrangian averaged NS (LANS-$α$) turbulence model. Other than using smoothing approaches, this model obtains particle transport velocity by imposing constant $σ$ which is associated with the particle density, and is called SPH-$σ$…
The Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability develops and leads to turbulence when a heavy fluid falls under the action of gravity through a light one. We consider this phenomenon accompanied by a reactive transformation between the fluids, and study with Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) how the reaction (flame) affects the turbulent mixing in the Boussinesq approximation. We discuss "slow" reactions where the characteristic reaction time exceeds the temporal scale of the RT instability. In the early turbulent stage, effects of the flame are distributed over a maturing mixing zone, whose development…
Incompressible and statistically homogeneous flows obey exact kinematic relations. The Betchov homogeneity constraints (Betchov, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 1, 1956, pp. 497-504) for the average principal invariants of the velocity gradient are among the most well known and extensively employed homogeneity relations. These homogeneity relations have far-reaching implications for the coupled dynamics of strain and vorticity, as well as for the turbulent energy cascade. Whether the Betchov homogeneity constraints are the only possible ones or whether additional homogeneity relations exist has not been …
The four-fifths law for third-order longitudinal moments is examined, by the use of direct numerical simulation data on three-dimensional forced incompressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence without a uniformly imposed magnetic field in a periodic box. The magnetic Prandtl number is set to one, and the number of grid points is $512^3$. A generalized Kármán-Howarth-Kolmogorov equation for second-order velocity moments in isotropic MHD turbulence is extended to anisotropic MHD turbulence by means of a spherical average over the direction of $\textbf{r}$. Here, $\textbf{r}$ is a separation …
A novel model of incompressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the presence of a strong external magnetic field is proposed for explanation of recent numerical results. According to the proposed model, in the presence of the strong external magnetic field, incompressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence becomes nonlocal in the sense that low frequency modes cause decorrelation of interacting high frequency modes from the inertial interval. It is shown that the obtained nonlocal spectrum of the inertial range of incompressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence represents an anisotropic analogue o…
We investigate phase ordering dynamics of the incompressible Toner-Tu equation in three dimensions. We show that the phase ordering proceeds via defect merger events and the dynamics is controlled by the Reynolds number Re. At low Re, the dynamics is similar to that of the Ginzburg-Landau equation. At high Re, turbulence controls phase ordering. In particular, we observe a forward energy cascade from the coarsening length scale to the dissipation scale.
A comparison is made between several existing exact laws in incompressible Hall magnetohydrodynamic (IHMHD) turbulence in order to show their equivalence, despite stemming from different mathematical derivations. Using statistical homogeneity, we revisit the law proposed by Hellinger et al. (2018) and show that it can be written, after being corrected by a multiplicative factor, in a more compact form implying only flux terms expressed as increments of the turbulent fields. The Hall contribution of this law is tested and compared to other exact laws derived by Galtier (2008) and Banerjee & Gal…
We present a novel reaction analogy (RA) based forcing method for generating stationary scalar fields in incompressible turbulence. The new method can produce more general scalar PDFs (e.g. double-delta) than current methods, while ensuring that scalar fields remain bounded. Such features are useful for generating initial fields in non-premixed combustion or for studying non-Gaussian scalar turbulence. The RA method mathematically models hypothetical chemical reactions that convert reactants in a mixed state back into its pure unmixed components. Various types of chemical reactions are formula…
We investigate coarsening dynamics in the two-dimensional, incompressible Toner-Tu equation. We show that coarsening proceeds via vortex merger events, and the dynamics crucially depend on the Reynolds number Re. For low Re, the coarsening process has similarities to Ginzburg-Landau dynamics. On the other hand, for high Re, coarsening shows signatures of turbulence. In particular, we show the presence of an enstrophy cascade from the intervortex separation scale to the dissipation scale.
Bose-Einstein condensates with their superfluidity property provide an interesting parallel to classical fluids. Due to the Kolmogorov spectrum of homogeneous turbulence the statistics of the incompressible velocity field is of great interest, but in superfluids obtaining quantities such as the statistics of the velocity field from the macroscopic wavefunction turns out be a complicated task; therefore, most of the work up to now has been numerical in nature. We made use of the Weak Wave Turbulence (WWT) theory, which provides the statistics of the macroscopic wavefunction, to obtain the stati…
In our recent works we proposed a theory of turbulence in inertial gas flow via the mean field effect of an intermolecular potential. We found that, in inertial flow, turbulence indeed spontaneously develops from a laminar initial condition, just as observed in nature and experiments. However, we also found that density and temperature in our inertial flow model behave unrealistically. The goal of the current work is to demonstrate technical possibility of modeling compressible, turbulent flow at low Mach number where both density and temperature behave in a more realistic fashion. Here we foc…
We look at various correlation functions, which include those that involve both the velocity and the vorticity fields, in 2-D isotropic homogeneous decaying turbulence.We adopt the more intuitive approach due to Kolmogorov (and subsequently, Landau in his text on fluid dynamics) and show that how the 2-D turbulence results, obtainable using other methods, may be established in a simpler way.Also, some experimentally verifiable correlation functions in the dissipation range have been derived for the same system.The paper also showcases the inability of the Kolmogorov-Landau approach to get the …
An open question of whether phenomenological fluid equations to be used for direct numerical simulation of turbulence are warranted on `first principles' is addressed, and the problem is posed using Klimontovich microscopic density to replace the Boltzmann function of the classical statistical mechanics. For inert monatomic gases, it is shown that all the gasdynamic equations, namely, the three conservation equations plus the Navier-Stokes stress law and the Fourier heat conduction law are retrieved as governing instantaneous quantities, without having recourse to any concepts of averaging or …
Based on the Karman-Howarth equation in 3D incompressible fluid, a new isotropic turbulence scale evolution equation and its related theory progress. The present results indicate that the energy cascading process has remarkable similarities with the determinisitic construction rules of the isotonic oscillators in quantum mechanics.
The paper investigates the detailed features of one-dimensional energy spectra in three-dimensional isotropic turbulence, based on the exact solution of Karman-Howarth equation. Particular interest will be paid on the degree to which spectral scaling can lead the spectral data to be collapsed. The theory appears to be consistent with the wealth of experimental data (G.Comte-Bellot and S. Corrsin, 1971) at least in low Taylor microscale Reynolds number.
Based on the mechanics of the Euler equation at short time, we show that a Recent Fluid Deformation (RFD) closure for the vorticity field, neglecting the early stage of advection of fluid particles, allows to build a 3D incompressible velocity field that shares many properties with empirical turbulence, such as the teardrop shape of the R-Q plane. Unfortunately, non gaussianity is weak (i.e. no intermittency) and vorticity gets preferentially aligned with the wrong eigenvector of the deformation. We then show that slightly modifying the former vectorial field in order to impose the long range …
Extending the statistical approach proposed in a parallel paper \cite% {Tessarotto2008-aa}, purpose of this work is to propose a stochastic inverse kinetic theory for small-scale hydrodynamic turbulence based on the introduction of a suitable \textit{local phase-space probability density function} (pdf). In particular, we pose the problem of the construction of Fokker-Planck kinetic models of hydrodynamic turbulence. The approach here adopted is based on the so-called IKT approach (inverse kinetic theory), developed by Ellero et al. (2004-2008) which permits an exact phase-space description of…
Magnetised plasma turbulence pervades the universe and is likely to play an important role in a variety of astrophysical settings. Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) provides the simplest theoretical framework in which phenomenological models for the turbulent dynamics can be built. Numerical simulations of MHD turbulence are widely used to guide and test the theoretical predictions; however, simulating MHD turbulence and accurately measuring its scaling properties is far from straightforward. Computational power limits the calculations to moderate Reynolds numbers and often simplifying assumptions ar…
Predicting the long time or late time states of two-dimensional incompressible, high Reynolds number, slowly decaying turbulence has been one of the long-standing problems. Using ``point vortices'' as ``inviscid'' building blocks, which do not respect incompressibility, statistical mechanical models conserving only total energy and zero total circulation result in the well-known sinh-Poisson relation between vorticity and stream function. On the other hand, statistical mechanics of ``inviscid patch'' vortices, which respects incompressibility by conserving regions of zero and nonzero vorticity…
We study the growth of small fluctuations of magnetic field in supersonic turbulence, the small-scale dynamo. The growth is due to the fastest turbulent eddies above the resistive scale. We observe that for supersonic turbulence these eddies are effectively incompressible which creates a robust structure of the growth. The eddies are localised below the sonic scale $l_s$ defined as the scale where the typical velocity of the turbulent eddies equals the speed of sound. Thus the flow below $l_s$ is effectively incompressible and the field growth proceeds as in incompressible flow. At large Mach …
We present a set of three-dimensional (3D) direct numerical simulations of incompressible decaying magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in which we investigate the influence of an external uniform magnetic field B_0. A parametric study in terms of B_0 intensity is made where, in particular, we distinguish the shear- from the pseudo-Alfven waves dynamics. The initial kinetic and magnetic energies are equal with a negligible cross-correlation. Both the temporal and spectral effects of B_0 are discussed. A sub-critical balance is found between the Alfven and nonlinear times with both a global and a spe…
An open problem arising in the statistical description of turbulence is related to the \textit{theoretical prediction based on first principles} of the so-called multi-point velocity probability density functions (PDFs) characterizing a Navier-Stokes fluid. In this paper it will be shown that - based on a suitable axiomatic approach - a solution to this problem can actually be achieved based on the so-called inverse kinetic theory (IKT), recently developed for incompressible fluids. More precisely, we intend to show, based on the requirement that \textit{the Boltzmann-Shannon entropy for the s…
The diffusive transport in two-dimensional incompressible turbulent fields is investigated with the aid of high-quality direct numerical simulations. Three classes of turbulence spectra that are able to capture both short and long-range time-space correlations and oscillating features are employed. We report novel scaling laws that depart from the $γ=7/10$ paradigm of percolative exponents and are dependent on the features of turbulence. A simple relation between diffusion in the percolative and frozen regimes is found. The importance of discerning between differential and integral characteris…
This study develops a comprehensive description of local streamline geometry and uses the resulting shape features to characterize velocity gradient ($A_{ij}$) dynamics. The local streamline geometric shape parameters and scale-factor (size) are extracted from $A_{ij}$ by extending the linearized critical point analysis. In the present analysis, $A_{ij}$ is factorized into its magnitude ($A \equiv \sqrt{A_{ij}A_{ij}}$) and normalized tensor $b_{ij} \equiv A_{ij}/A$. The geometric shape is shown to be determined exclusively by four $b_{ij}$ parameters -- second invariant, $q$; third invariant, …
Theoretical developments in the field of Lagrangian turbulence are made difficult by the fact that equations governing the evolution of lagrangian flows are implicit contrary to eulerian flows. In this article, an {\it exact} explicit equation for incompressible lagrangian fluid flows at high-Reynolds number is constructed. The method to arrive at the equation of motion and the proof that it describes the motion of an incompressible fluid are provided. A truncated version of this new equation is used to show how the lagrangian turbulent spectrum ($E_\mathrm{lag}(ω)$) could be inferred. This ex…
We present a local approach to the study of scale-to-scale energy transfers in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence. This approach is based on performing local averages of the physical fields, which amounts to filtering scales smaller than some parameter $\ell$. A key step in this work is the derivation of a local Kármán-Howarth-Monin relation which provides a local form of Politano and Pouquet's 4/3-law, without any assumption of homogeneity or isotropy. Our approach is exact, non-random, and we show its connection to the usual statistical results of turbulence. Its implementation on data obt…
A heuristic model is given for anisotropic magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) turbulence in the presence of a uniform external magnetic field $B_0 {\bf {\hat e}_{\pa}}$. The model is valid for both moderate and strong $B_0$ and is able to describe both the strong and weak wave turbulence regimes as well as the transition between them. The main ingredient of the model is the assumption of constant ratio at all scales between \add{the} linear wave period and \add{the} nonlinear turnover timescale. Contrary to the model of critical balance introduced by Goldreich and Sridhar [P. Goldreich and S. Sridhar,…
The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations currently represent the primary model for describing stratified turbulent fluid flows at low Mach number. The validity of the incompressible assumption, however, has so far only been rigorously established for adiabatic motions. Here, we show from first principl es that the use of available energetics and thermodynamics considerations applied to a turbulent mixing event associated with stratified shear flow instability r efutes the widespread idea that the incompressible assumption is also valid when diabatic irreversible effects are important. The ma…
The energy spectrum of incompressible turbulence is known to reveal a pileup of energy at those high wavenumbers where viscous dissipation begins to act. It is called the bottleneck effect. Based on direct numerical simulations of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations, results from Donzis & Sreenivasan (2010) pointed to a decrease of the strength of the bottleneck with increasing intensity of the turbulence, measured by the Taylor micro-scale Reynolds number $R_λ$. Here we report first experimental results on the dependence of the amplitude of the bottleneck as a function of $R_λ$ in a wi…
In this paper, computations of transient, incompressible, turbulent, plane jets using the discrete lattice BGK Boltzmann equation are reported. A priori derivation of the discrete lattice BGK Boltzmann equation with a spatially and temporally dependent relaxation time parameter, which is used to represent the averaged flow field, from its corresponding continuous form is given. The averaged behavior of the turbulence field is represented by the standard {\it k-$ε$} turbulence model and computed using a finite-volume scheme on non-uniform grids. Computed results are compared with analytical sol…
We consider equilibrium statistics for high Reynolds number isotropic turbulence in an incompressible flow driven by steady forcing at the largest scale. Motivated by shell model observations, we develop a similarity theory for the inertial range from clearly stated assumptions. In the right variables, the theory is scaling invariant, but in traditional variables it shows anomalous scaling. We obtain the underlying probability density function, the scaling exponents, and the coefficients for the structure functions. An inertial range length scale also emerges.
We consider the steady state statistics of turbulence in general classes of dissipative hydrodynamic equations, where the fluctuations are sustained by a random source concentrated at large scales. It is well known that in some particular cases, such as non-relativistic incompressible turbulence, a Kolmogorov-type exact scaling relation for a correlation function holds. We show that all such scaling relations follow from a general relation on the current-density correlation function. The derivation does not require an energy cascade picture and suggests that this traditional interpretation of …
Model of incompressible turbulent flows via a kinetic theory
State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology（华中科技大学能源与动力工程学院煤燃烧国家重点实验室）；Institute of Interdisciplinary Research for Mathematics and Applied Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology（华中科技大学数学与交叉科学研究院）；College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University（浙江大学能源工程学院）
Boundary layers in turbulent flows require fine grid spacings near the walls which depend on the choice of turbulence model. To satisfy these requirements a semi-structured mesh is generally used in this area with orthogonal and layered elements. Adaptation of such a mesh needs to take into account the flow physics along with the standard error indicator approach. In this paper a novel methodology which combines Hessian based error indicators with flow physics to drive mesh adaptation is illustrated. Particular focus is on the thickness adaptation of the layered mesh. The technique is applied …
This work determines the inaccuracy of using Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) turbulence models in transition to turbulent flow regimes by predicting the model-based discrepancies between RANS and large eddy simulation (LES) models and then incorporates the capabilities of machine learning algorithms to characterize the discrepancies which are defined as a function of mean flow properties of RANS simulations. First, three-dimensional CFD simulations using k-omega Shear Stress Transport (SST) and dynamic one-equation subgrid-scale models are conducted in a wall-bounded channel containing …
We survey recent results in the mathematical literature on the equations of incompressible fluid dynamics, highlighting common themes and how they might contribute to the understanding of some phenomena in the theory of fully developed turbulence.
When magnetohydrodynamic turbulence evolves in the presence of a large-scale mean magnetic field, an anisotropy develops relative to that preferred direction. The well-known tendency is to develop stronger gradients perpendicular to the magnetic field, relative to the direction along the field. This anisotropy of the spectrum is deeply connected with anisotropy of estimated timescales for dynamical processes, and requires reconsideration of basic issues such as scale locality and spectral transfer. Here analysis of high-resolution three-dimensional simulations of unforced magnetohydrodynamic t…
Reactive Rayleigh-Taylor systems are characterized by the competition between the growth of the instability and the rate of reaction between cold (heavy) and hot (light) phases. We present results from state-of-the-art numerical simulations performed at high resolution in 2d by means of a self-consistent lattice Boltzmann method which evolves the coupled momentum and thermal equations and includes a reactive term. We tune the parameters affecting flame properties, in order to address the competition between turbulent mixing and reaction, ranging from slow to fast-reaction rates. We also study …
We report and discuss case study simulations of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the Boussinesq, incompressible regime developed to turbulence. Our main focus is on a statistical analysis of density and velocity fluctuations inside of the already developed and growing in size mixing zone. Novel observations reported in the manuscript concern self-similarity of the velocity and density fluctuations spectra inside of the mixing zone snapshot, independence of the spectra of the horizontal slice level, and universality showing itself in a virtual independence of the internal structure of the mix…
Zank et al. developed models describing the transport of low frequency incompressible and nearly incompressible turbulence in inhomogeneous flows. The formalism was based on expressing the fluctuating variables in terms of the Elsässar variables and then taking "moments" subject to various closure hypotheses. The turbulence transport models are different according to whether the plasma beta regime is large or of order 1 or smaller. Here, we show explicitly that the two sets of turbulence transport models admit a conservation representation that resembles the well-known WKB transport equation f…
The inverse transfer of magnetic helicity is investigated through direct numerical simulations of large-scale-mechanically-driven turbulent flows in the isothermal ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) framework. The mechanical forcing is either purely solenoidal or purely compressive and the turbulent steady-states considered exhibit root mean square (RMS) Mach numbers 0.1 $\lesssim$ M $\lesssim$ 11. A continuous small-scale electromotive forcing injects magnetic helical fluctuations, which lead to the build-up of ever larger magnetic structures. Spectral scaling exponents are observed which, for …
By DNS of Navier-Stokes turbulence, Goto-Saito-Kawahara (2017) showed that turbulence consists of a self-similar hierarchy of anti-parallel pairs of vortex tubes, in particular, stretching in larger-scale strain fields creates smaller-scale vortices. Inspired by their numerical result, we examine the Goto-Saito-Kawahara type of vortex-tubes behavior using the 3D incompressible Euler equations, and show that such behavior induces energy cascade in the absence of nonlinear scale-interaction. From this energy cascade, we prove a modified version of the zeroth-law. In the Appendix, we derive Kolmo…
To design a method to solve the issues of handling 'dirty' and highly complex geometries, the topology-free method combined with the immersed boundary method is presented for viscous and incompressible flows at a high Reynolds number. The method simultaneously employs a ghost-cell technique and distributed forcing technique to impose the boundary conditions. An axis-projected interpolation scheme is used to avoid searching failures during fluid and solid identification. This method yields a topology-free immersed boundary, which particularly suits flow simulations of highly complex geometries.…
A detailed theoretical investigation is given which demonstrates that a recently proposed statistical scaling symmetry is physically void. Although this scaling is mathematically admitted as a unique symmetry transformation by the underlying statistical equations for incompressible Navier-Stokes turbulence on the level of the functional Hopf equation, by closer inspection, however, it leads to physical inconsistencies and erroneous conclusions in the theory of turbulence. The new statistical symmetry is thus misleading in so far as it forms within an unmodelled theory an analytical result whic…
In recent years, coupled with traditional turbulence models, the second-order gas-kinetic scheme (GKS) has been used in the turbulent flow simulations. At the same time, high-order GKS has been developed, such as the two-stage fourth-order scheme (S2O4) GKS, and used for laminar flow calculations. In this paper, targeting on the high-Reynolds number engineering turbulent flows, an implicit high-order GKS with Lower-Upper Symmetric Gauss-Seidel (LU-SGS) technique is developed under the S2O4 framework. Based on Vreman-type LES model and $k - ω$ SST model, a turbulent relaxation time is obtained …
