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Turbulent Structures (turbulent + structure)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Earth and Environmental Science	50%

Selected Abstracts

From molecules to meteorology via turbulent scale invariance

THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 650 2010
A. F. Tuck
Abstract This review attempts to interpret the generalized scale invariance observed in common atmospheric variables,wind, temperature, humidity, ozone and some trace species,in terms of the computed emergence of ring currents (vortices) in simulations of populations of Maxwellian molecules subject to an anisotropy in the form of a flux. The data are taken from ,horizontal' tracks of research aircraft and from ,vertical' trajectories of research dropsondes. It is argued that any attempt to represent the energy distribution in the atmosphere quantitatively must have a proper basis in molecular physics, a prerequisite to accommodate the observed long-tailed velocity probability distributions and the implied effects on radiative transfer, atmospheric chemistry, turbulent structure and the definition of temperature itself. The relationship between fluctuations and dissipation is discussed in a framework of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, and a link between maximization of entropy production and scale invariance is hypothesized. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society [source]

Spatial patterns of water surface topography at a river confluence

EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 9 2002
Dr Pascale M. Biron
Abstract Understanding flow structures in river confluences has largely been the product of interpretations made from measured flow velocity data. Here, we turn the attention to the investigation of the patterns of both the average and standard deviations of the micro-topography of the water surface at an asymmetrical natural discordant confluence for different flow conditions. Water surface topography is measured using a total station to survey the position of a reflector mounted on a custom-built raft. To limit error problems related to changes in the water level, measurements are taken and analysed by cross-stream transects where five water surface profiles are taken before moving to the next transect. Three-dimensional numerical simulations of the flow dynamics at the field site are used to examine predicted water surface topography for a steady-state situation. The patterns are interpreted with respect to flow structure dynamics, visual observations of boils, and bed topography. Results indicate that coherent patterns emerge at the water surface of a discordant bed confluence for different flow conditions. The zone of stagnation and the mixing layer are characterized by super-elevation, a lateral tilt is present at the edge of the mixing layer, and a zone of super-elevation is present on the tributary side at the downstream junction corner. The latter seems associated with periodical upwelling and is not present in the numerical simulations that do not take into account instantaneous velocity fluctuations. Planform curvature, topographic steering related to the tributary mouth bar, and turbulent structures associated with the mixing layer all play a key role in the pattern of both the average and standard deviation of the water surface topography at confluences. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Prediction of jet flows in the supersonic nozzle and diffuser

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 10-11 2005
Yi Liu
Abstract The authors' recently-developed code for a needle-free powdered vaccine delivery device, the epidermal powdered inject system (EPI), is summarized in this paper. The behaviour of supersonic jet flows, which accelerate micron sized powdered vaccines to penetrate human skin or mucosal tissue, is therefore of great importance. A well-established modified implicit flux vector splitting (MIFVS) solver for the Navier,Stokes equations is extended to study numerically the transient supersonic jet flows of interest. A low Reynolds number k,, turbulence model, with the compressibility effect considered, is integrated into MIFVS solver to predict the turbulent structures and interactions with inherent shock systems. The results for the NASA validation case NPARC, Venturi and contoured shock tube (CST) of the EPI system are discussed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Experimental research on drag reduction by polymer additives in a turbulent pipe flow

THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2002
Shao Xueming
Abstract In order to investigate the effects of injection position on drag reduction as well as further the effects of polymer additives on turbulent structures, LDA measurements of turbulent pipe flows were conducted. The results show that the amount of drag reduction grows with the increase of the Reynolds number, and injecting the polymer at the centre of pipe is more effective than at the wall. Due to the addition of polymer solution, the axial, radial r.m.s. velocity fluctuations and Reynolds stress decrease over the entire pipe cross-section, the time auto-correlation coefficients of axial and radial velocity fluctuation at the centre of pipe decay more slowly, the number of spectrum peaks is decreased, and the peak shifts towards lower wave numbers. The results also reveal that, due to the addition of polymer solution, the large-scale vortices are enhanced and small-scale vortices are suppressed. On a effectué des mesures par anémométrie laser Doppler d'écoulements turbulents dans des conduites afin d'étudier l'effet de la position de l'injection et l'effet de l'ajout d'additifs à base de polymères sur la réduction de traînée. Les résultats montrent que la réduction de traînée augmente avec le nombre de Reynolds et qu'il est plus efficace d'injecter le polymère au centre de la conduite qu'à la paroi. Du fait de l'ajout d'une solution de polymères, les fluctuations de vitesse efficace radiale et axiale et la contrainte de Reynolds diminuent sur toute la section transversale de la conduite, les coefficients d'auto-corrélation de temps de la fluctuation de vitesse efficace radiale et axiale au centre de la conduite décroissent plus lentement, le nombre de pics du spectre diminue et les pics tendent à avoir un nombre d'ondes moins grand. Les résultats montrent également que, grâce à l'ajout de la solution de polymères, les tourbillons de grande échelle sont plus nombreux tandis que les tourbillons de petite eéhelle disparaissent. [source]