Section: New Results

Analysis and modeling of turbulent flows

Singular and regular solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations (NSE) and relative turbulent models

Participant : Roger Lewandowski.

The common thread of this work is the problem set by J. Leray in 1934 : does a regular solution of the Navier-Stokes equations (NSE) with a smooth initial data develop a singularity in finite time, what is the precise structure of a global weak solution to the Navier-Stokes equations, and are we able to prove any uniqueness result of such a solution. This is a very hard problem for which there is for the moment no answer. Nevertheless, this question leads us to reconsider the theory of Leray for the study of the Navier-Stokes equations in the whole space with an additional eddy viscosity term that models the Reynolds stress in the context of large-scale flow modelling. It appears that Leray's theory cannot be generalized turnkey for this problem, so that things must be reconsidered from the beginning. This problem is approached by a regularization process using mollifiers, and particular attention must paid to the eddy viscosity term. For this regularized problem and when the eddy viscosity has enough regularity, we have able to prove the existence of a global unique solution that is of class $C^{\infty }$ in time and space and that satisfies the energy balance. Moreover, when the eddy viscosity is of compact support in space, uniformly in time, we recently shown that this solution converges to a turbulent solution to the corresponding Navier-Stokes equations when, the regularizing parameter goes to 0. These results are described in a paper that will be soon submitted to the journal Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis (ARMA).

In the same direction, we also finalized a paper in collaboration with L. Berselli (Univ. Pisa, Italy) about the well known Bardina’s turbulent model. In this problem, we consider the Helmholtz filter usually used within the framework of Large Eddy Simulation. We carry out a similar analysis, by showing in particular that no singularity occurs for Bardina’s model.

Another study in collaboration with B. Pinier, P. Chandramouli and E. Memin has been undertaken. This work takes place within the context of the PhD work of B. Pinier. We considered the standard turbulent models involving the Navier-Stokes equations with an eddy viscosity that depends on the Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE), coupled with an addition equation for the TKE. The problem holds in a 3D bounded domain, with the Manning law at the boundary for the velocity. We have modeled a flux condition at the boundary for the TKE. We prove that with these boundary conditions, the resulting problem has a distributional solution. Then a serie of numerical tests is performed in a parallelepiped with a non trivial bottom, showing the accuracy of the model in comparison with a direct numerical simulation of the Navier-Stokes equations.

Turbulence similarity theory for the modeling of Ocean Atmosphere interface

Participants : Roger Lewandowski, Etienne Mémin, Benoit Pinier.

The Ocean Atmosphere interface plays a major role in climate dynamics. This interaction takes place in a thin turbulent layer. To date no sastifying universal models for the coupling of atmospheric and oceanic models exists. In practice this coupling is realized through empirically derived interaction bulks. In this study, corresponding to the PhD thesis of Benoit Pinier, we aim at exploring similarity theory to identify universal mean profile of velocity and temperature within the mixture layer. The goal of this work consists in exhibiting eddy viscosity models within the primitive equations. We will also explore the links between those eddy viscocity models and the subgrid tensor derived from the uncertainty framework studied in the Fluminance group. In that prospect, we have started to study the impact of the introduction of a random modeling of the friction velocity on the classical wall law expression.

Hot-wire anemometry at low velocities

Participant : Dominique Heitz.

A new dynamical calibration technique has been developed for hot-wire probes. The technique permits, in a short time range, the combined calibration of velocity, temperature and direction calibration of single and multiple hot-wire probes. The calibration and measurements uncertainties were modeled, simulated and controlled, in order to reduce their estimated values. Based on a market study the french patent application has been extended this year to a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application.

Numerical and experimental image and flow database

Participants : Pranav Chandramouli, Dominique Heitz.

The goal was to design a database for the evaluation of the different techniques developed in the Fluminance group. The first challenge was to enlarge a database mainly based on two-dimensional flows, with three-dimensional turbulent flows. Synthetic image sequences based on homogeneous isotropic turbulence and on circular cylinder wake have been provided. These images have been completed with time resolved Particle Image Velocimetry measurements in wake and mixing layers flows. This database provides different realistic conditions to analyse the performance of the methods: time steps between images, level of noise, Reynolds number, large-scale images. The second challenge was to carried out orthogonal dual plane time resolved stereoscopic PIV measurements in turbulent flows. The diagnostic employed two orthogonal and synchronized stereoscopic PIV measurements to provide the three velocity components in planes perpendicular and parallel to the streamwise flow direction. These temporally resolved planar slices observations will be used in 4DVar assimilation technique, integrating Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) and Large Eddies Simulation (LES), to reconstruct three-dimensional turbulent flows. This reconstruction will be conducted within the PhD of Pranav Chandramouli. The third challenge was to carried out a time resolved tomoPIV experiments in a turbulent wake flow. These temporally resolved volumic observations will be used to assess the algorithms developped in the PhD of Ioana Barbu and in the postdoc of Kai Berger. Then this data will be used in 4DVar assimilation technique to reconstruct three-dimensional turbulent flows. This reconstruction will be conducted within the PhD of Cordelia Robinson.