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Turbulent Shear Flows 5 pp 110–123Cite as

Coherent Structures in a Turbulent Mixing Layer: A Comparison Between Direct Numerical Simulations and Experiments

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Abstract

An eduction scheme has been developed in an attempt to determine the characteristics of large-scale vortical structures in a turbulent mixing layer. This analysis scheme has been applied to a set of experimental data taken in a new, large mixing layer facility designed to minimize boundary and resonance effects. The scheme is based on detection of large-scale vorticity concentrations from smoothed vorticity maps, accepting structures of certain size and strength and aligning the realizations through correlation of vorticity. A similar scheme has been developed to apply to the results of a direct numerical simulation of a temporally growing mixing layer. A comparison of the two approaches shows important similarities in details of the coherent structures educed both ways. The numerical simulations indicate that low levels of coherent forcing can dramatically change the evolution of the mixing layer. In the absence of such forcing, the numerical simulations and experiments show a lack of regularity in the transverse position, spacing, amplitude, shape and spanwise coherence of the large-scale vortical structures.

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Abbreviations

Reλ):

Reynolds number based on Taylor microscale

RE x ):

Reynolds number = xU e /v

S̄M):

Peak mean shear rate =\({\left. {\frac{{\partial U}} {{\partial y}}} \right|_{\max }}\)

T̄):

= t U c /θ

T̄):

= t S̄ Mo

U):

Mean velocity difference (simulations)

Uc):

Streamwise advection velocity of coherent structures (experiments) = 0.5 U e

Ue):

Mean exit velocity (experiment)

Ū(y)):

Mean velocity

u′ v′ w′):

rms perturbation velocities

uc, vc):

Coherent velocity fields

ur, vr):

Incoherent velocity fields

x, y, z):

Streamwise, transverse and spanwise coordinates

Y):

= y/θ

δω):

Mean vorticity thickness = U e /S M

θ):

Local momentum thickness

θe):

Exit boundary layer momentum thickness (experiment)

λ):

Wavelength of fundamental (most unstable) mode

ω):

Vorticity

References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Flow Research Company, 21414 68th Avenue South, Kent, Washington, 98032, USA

    Ralph W. Metcalfe, A. K. M. F. Hussain, Suresh Menon & M. Hayakawa

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, USA

    A. K. M. F. Hussain & M. Hayakawa

Authors
  1. Ralph W. Metcalfe
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  2. A. K. M. F. Hussain
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  3. Suresh Menon
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  4. M. Hayakawa
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lehrstuhl für Strömungsmechanik, Technische Fakultät, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Egerlandstraße 13, D-8520, Erlangen, Fed. Rep. of Germany

    Franz Durst

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Science and Technology, University of Manchester, PO Box 88, Manchester, M60 1QD, England

    Brian E. Launder

  3. Sibley School of Mechanical Aero Engineering, Cornell University, 238 Upson Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    John L. Lumley

  4. Mechanical Engineering Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Frank W. Schmidt

  5. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College of Science and Technology, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2BX, England

    James H. Whitelaw

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© 1987 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Metcalfe, R.W., Hussain, A.K.M.F., Menon, S., Hayakawa, M. (1987). Coherent Structures in a Turbulent Mixing Layer: A Comparison Between Direct Numerical Simulations and Experiments. In: Durst, F., Launder, B.E., Lumley, J.L., Schmidt, F.W., Whitelaw, J.H. (eds) Turbulent Shear Flows 5. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-71435-1_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-71435-1_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-71437-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-71435-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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