Recent Developments in Eddy Viscosity Modelling of Turbulence
Recent Developments in Eddy Viscosity Modelling of Turbulence
Recent Developments in Eddy Viscosity Modelling of Turbulence
Abstract
Eddy viscosity modelling is still a "standard" approach for industrial CFD applications for turbulent flows
despite its serious deficiencies. Thus, a number of research studies, including the author's, have been
recently made to improve models of this kind. This article reviews these efforts and suggests a future
direction for tackling turbulent flows of industrial importance.
historical establishments related to eddy viscosity transport equations for the turbulent kinetic energy
modelling, section §3 summarizes the recent efforts, k and its dissipation rate ε are solved with
then finally, section §4 concludes and suggests a approximations.
future direction for the treatment of industrially
Dk = Dk – ui uj ∂Ui – ν ∂uj ∂uj
important turbulent flows. ·······················(6)
Dt ∂x j ∂x i ∂x i
2. Historical foundations Pk ε
2
Reynolds stress ν t = cµf µ k . ······································(9)
ε
·······························(2)
This fµ function was designed to reduce its value
where ρ and ν are, respectively, the density and the from unity toward a wall. They also modified the ε
kinematic viscosity of the fluid of interest. equation with the introduction of the other damping
Following Boussinesq1), the Reynolds stresses are functions, f1 and f2, as:
represented by the eddy viscosity νt and the strain
Dε = Dε + cε 1f 1Pk – cε 2f 2ε + Pε 3 ···············(10)
tensor Sij as:
Dt k/ε
ui uj = 2 kδ ij – ν t S ij . ~
3
································(3) where ε is the isotropic part of ε defined as
. The reason why they chose ~ε
1/2 2
ε ≡ ε – 2ν ( ∂k∂x )
j
The strain tensor is defined as: rather than ε itself is that ~
ε vanishes to exactly 0 at a
∂Ui ∂Uj
wall boundary. This simple boundary condition
S ij ≡ + . ································(4) makes numerical solutions more stable. The
∂x j ∂x i
gradient production term, Pε3, was also modelled Eq.(15), one may rewrite Eq.(14) as:
using a gradient diffusion hypothesis as:
uu
2 2 Pij + Πij – εij = ki j ( Pk – ε ) ···············(16)
∂ Ui
Pε 3 = 2 νν t . ·······························(11) Then, one just needs models for the terms Πij and εij.
∂x j ∂x k There are many established models for Πij such as
Many versions followed this original work. Some Launder, Reece & Rodi model10), and each model
researchers such as Wilcox6), for example, chose a forms a different version of the ASM. However, the
substitute quantity for ε . This model solves a basic model11) may be
1
modelled equation for ω ( ≡ ε / k ): Πij = –c1εaij – c2 ( Pij – δijPkk )
3
····································(17)
Dω = Dω + cω1Pk ω – cω2ω 2. ······················(12) 2
Dt k where the anisotropic stress tensor aij = uiuj / k – δij
3
and the values of 1.8 and 0.6 are normally used for
The coefficients such as cω1 and cω2 were tuned by the coefficients c 1 and c 2, respectively. In high
referring to the k- ε model equations since the ω Reynolds number isotropic flows, the following
equation was derived by manipulating the k and ε treatment is normally applied.
equations.
Patel et al. 7) concluded, however, following εij = 23 εδij ···································(18)
systematic comparisons between eight LRN models,
that an amended version of the JL model by Launder Consequently, the algebraic expression for the
& Sharma8) (LS) was one of the most successful for a Reynolds stress is obtained as:
number of straight thin shear flows. The LS model
uses the following damping functions of a turbulent
~ ( 1 – c2 ) ( Pij – 23 δ ij Pk )
Reynolds number Rt ( ≡ k2 / ( νε ). ui uj = k 2 δ ij + .
3
( c1 – 1 + Pk / ε ) ε
fµ = exp { –3.4
} ·································(19)
2
( 1 + Rt / 50 )
f1 = 1.0 Since Pij and Pk consist of the Reynolds stresses
f2 = 1.0 – 0.3exp ( –Rt2) and the mean velocity gradients, this algebraic form
is implicit in terms of the Reynolds stress.
····································(13)
Therefore, ASM's need to solve the transport
2. 2 Algebraic Reynolds Stress Models equations of k and ε with successive matrix
The transport equation of the Reynolds stress uiuj is inversions of the implicit algebraic equation set for
the Reynolds stresses.
Dui uj ∂Uj ∂Ui
= Dij – ui uk + uj uk + Πij – εij
Dt ∂x k ∂x k 3. Toward a new standard
In their review, Patel et al. 7) emphasized the al. 21) using their DNS results suggested that
necessity to have a reasonable near-wall f µ constructing a universal model depended on
distribution because none of their cited models identifying dimensionless parameters such as the
agreed with the data deduced from several different normalized strain invariant:
experiments (Fig. 2). This triggered many
S≡τ S ij S ij / 2 ····························(22)
researchers to modify the LRN models, suggesting
ways of improving the EVM's. Moreover, since the where τ is the characteristic time scale normally given
emergence of the DNS12-14), a lot of attention has as the ratio of k and ε, k/ε. In response, in order to
been given to the near-wall asymptotic behaviour of obtain the substitute parameter for the wall distance,
each turbulent quantity because the DNS provided Yang & Shih22) (YS) devised the parameter R which
reliable data for every process including consisted of the strain invariant as:
unmeasurable correlations. k 2 / ( νε )
R≡ k = = Rt / S .
To obtain a reasonable near-wall distribution of ν S ij S ij / 2 ( k / ε ) S ij S ij / 2
the fµ damping function, many recent versions of the ····························(23)
LRN k-ε EVM15-17) have implemented the effects of
the dimensionless wall distance (wall unit): The use of this in the dumping function fµ led to
y+ ≡ uτ y/ν ···································(20) good predictive performance in wall shear flows
where u τ and y are the friction velocity and the with zero or favorable pressure gradients.
distance from a wall, respectively. However, one Due to its general characteristics in shear flows as
can easily see that none of these LRN EVM's is shown in Fig. 3, the strain invariant has been
useful to apply for a flow with a recirculation. In recently employed as a near-wall parameter in
particular, the use of uτ is not suitable for such a several other proposals such as Cotton & Ismael23)
flow case because it becomes zero at a reattaching
point. In this case, the wall unit was sometimes
replaced with R y ( ≡ k y / ν ). Abe et al.18), however, 1
replaced u τ with the Kolmogorov velocity scale, 0.8
(νε)1/4, and devised the parameter:
0.6
y* ≡ ( νε )1/4 y/ν ··································(21) fµ
to damp the eddy viscosity in order to obtain 0.4
500 20
Re=2800 Re=2800
400 Re=7000 Re=7000
15
300
Rt S 10
200
5
100
0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
wall
+ +
y y
Fig. 1 Turbulent Reynolds number in plane Fig. 3 Normalized strain invariant in plane
channel flows by DNS12,13). channel flows by DNS12,13).
and the nonlinear k- ε EVM of Craft, Launder & necessarily the wall-boundary. To support this, Fig. 5
Suga24,25). Cotton & Ismael later proposed a k-ε-S shows a similar damping profile of the eddy
model26) coupling with a transport equation for the viscosity near the free surface (y/ δ ) of an open
strain invariant: channel flow. Hence, directly implementing this
effect by the use of υ2 in the damping model has a
DS = DS + 0.5 τS ij2 – S .
Dt τ
····························(24) physically correct reason. However, the k- ε - υ 2
model is only applicable in a flow parallel to a wall
The transport effects of S gave some reliability in because υ is not always normal to a wall in
predicting buoyant flows. complicated geometry. Furthermore, the use of υ2
Since the desirable variation in the strain invariant alone in a scalar variable ν t leads to severe
as a near-wall parameter is relatively limited near fundamental inconsistencies since υ2 is a component
walls, Craft, Launder & Suga27-29) further introduced of the Reynolds stress tensor and should not appear
the stress invariant A2 ( ≡ aijaij) as another near-wall in any scalar value.
detector into their nonlinear k- ε EVM. Stress Thus, it is necessary for a more general eddy
anisotropy is high near a wall and its measure is viscosity formula to have a physically and
represented by A2 as shown in Fig. 4, hence, A2 can mathematically correct damping parameter toward
be a near-wall parameter. The value of A 2 was wall or shear-free boundaries. Accordingly, the
obtained by solving its transport equation: author noticed the flatness parameter of the
Reynolds stress tensor, A (≡ 1– 89 (aijaij - aijajkaki)), as
DA 2 = – 2 A 2 D + 2 aij D – 2 A 2 P
k ij k a damping parameter. He thus extended his work on
Dt k k k
a a a the k- ε -A 2 model 27-29) to a k- ε -A model 34) by
+ 2 ij Pij + 2 ij Πij + 2 A 2 ε – 2 ij εij
k k k k substituting the following A-transport equation for
····························(25) the A2 equation.
DA
with proper models for Πij and εij. = – 9 ( 32 A3Dkk + 2aijDij – 3ajkakiDij )
Dt 8k
Durbin 33) introduced the Reynolds stress
component normal to a wall, υ 2 , as a damping – 9 ( 32 A3Pkk + 2aijPij – 3ajkakiPij )
8k
parameter for the eddy viscosity of the k-ε EVM as:
νt = cµυ2τ ·································(26) – 9 ( 32 A3Πkk + 2aijΠij – 3ajkakiΠij )
8k
The values of υ are obtained by solving its
2
2
Re=2800 0.06
A2 Re=7000
1.5 0.04
0.02
A,A2 1
A 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
0.5 wall symmetry plane
y/δ shear-free boundary
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Fig. 5 Eddy viscosity:
y+
, Open-channel30) ;
, Couette-Poiseuille32) ;
Fig. 4 Stress invariants in plane channel flows , Channel (Re =2800)12) ;
by DNS12,13). , Channel (Re =7000)13).
introduction into the damping function of the eddy In fact, the cubic c4~c7 terms have sensitivity to
viscosity allows one to form a physically and swirl and streamline curvature. They afterwards
mathematically correct model. modified their cubic NLEVM coupling with the
3. 2 Nonlinear eddy viscosity modelling effects of A 2 to correctly mimic near-wall
Another important topic in the recent eddy turbulence27-29).
viscosity modelling is a nonlinear extension of the Pope 36) showed that the generalized nonlinear
(linear) stress-strain relation, Eq. (3). This approach stress-strain relation was mathematically equivalent
forms a nonlinear eddy viscosity model (NLEVM). to an explicit form of the ASM. He generalized the
Note that a sort of the NLEVM is sometimes called nonlinear constitutive relation using the Cayley-
an explicit ASM due to its optimization process for Hamilton theorem and solved a matrix obtained by
the coefficients. substituting the Reynolds stresses in Eq. (19) with
The original linear stress-strain relation does not the constitutive relation. Although he outlined the
produce meaningful differences between the normal procedure to obtain the coefficients, he was not able
stresses. For example, in shear flows where only S12 to provide the coefficients generally due to the
is nonzero, Eq. (3) leads to isotropic turbulence as: complexity of the algebra. In fact, the generalized
u1u1 = u2u2 = u3u3 =
2
k constitutive relation includes up to fifth-order
3 ·························(28)
products of strain and vorticity tensors. Recently,
while the values of the normal stresses are very following Pope's methodology, Taulbee42) and Gatski
different from one another in actual flow cases. & Speziale43) proposed elaborate coefficients for the
Thus, the linear model lacks the capability of three-dimensional flows. Their NLEVM's (explicit
predicting anisotropic turbulence in many ASM's) thus include up to fifth-order terms.
industrially important flows such as turbulence- However, the roles and necessity of fourth- and
driven secondary flows, swirling flows, etc. fifth-order terms have never been clarified.
Although the ideas of NLEVM themselves Very recently, the author pointed out an inherent
emerged back in the 70's 35,36), until recently, the defect in the stress-strain relation and tried to
models of this type were not widely explored. Many remove it. In shear-free turbulence appearing, for
attempts at developing and using such schemes have example, near the free surface of an open channel
been recently made 37-41) . They all introduced flow, all strain and vorticity tensor components
quadratic terms into Eq. (3) as:
vanish. The linear and nonlinear stress-strain
1
aij = – cµτSij + c1τ2 ( SikSkj – S S δ ) relations thus always return isotropic turbulence
3 kl kl ij
+ c2τ ( ΩikSkj + ΩjkSki ) there (e.g., all the terms on the right hand side of Eq.
2
1
+ c3τ ( ΩikΩjk – ΩlkΩlkδij )
2 (30) become 0 in this case) while the actual
3
·························(29) turbulence is significantly anisotropic. Therefore,
the author introduced the following additional term
where the vorticity tensor, Ωij ≡ ∂Ui / ∂xj – ∂Uj / ∂xi.
The quadratic c1~c3 terms produce discrepancies
between the normal stresses. These quadratic 1
NLEVM's thus successfully reproduced turbulence 0.8
driven secondary flows, however, they did not have 0.6
sensitivity to streamline curvature (including swirl). A
0.4
Therefore, in order to capture the streamline
24)
curvature effects, Craft, Launder & Suga further 0.2
introduced cubic terms as: 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
aij = – cµτSij + c1τ ( SikSkj – 1 SklSklδij )
2
3 y/δ
+ c2τ2 ( ΩikSkj + ΩjkSki )
+ c3τ2 ( ΩikΩjk – 1 ΩlkΩlkδij )
3 Fig. 6 Stress flatness parameter:
+ c4τ3 ( SkiΩlj + SkjΩli ) Skl
, Open-channel31);
+ c5τ3 ( ΩilΩlmSmj + SilΩlmΩmj– 2 SlmΩmnΩnlδij )
3 , Couette-Poiseuille32) ;
+ c6τ3SijSklSkl + c7τ3SijΩklΩkl. , Channel (Re =2800)12) ;
·························(30) , Channel (Re =7000)13).
Aij composed of the gradient of the stress flatness stress distributions with the DNS13) data near the
parameter A into the cubic stress-strain relation: Eq. wall. All the models reproduce the DNS results
(30). quite well, though the profile by the W92 model
∂ Ak ∂ Ak ∂ Ak ∂ Ak distinctively deviates from the data in the region y+< 20.
A ij = ca' τ 2 – 1 δ ij
∂x i ∂x j 3 ∂x k ∂x k The predicted turbulence energy distributions
·························(31) shown in Fig. 8, however, display an interesting fact.
The recently proposed nonlinear SA and ARG
Since the distribution of A has a steep gradient near models predict very similar profiles to that of the
the shear-free boundary as shown in Fig. 6, this rather dated NY model and they are poorer than that
additional term does produce anisotropy of of the 24-year-old LS model. Except for them, the
turbulence there. The author showed its usefulness recent versions of EVM's have shown quite
for capturing shear-free turbulence combining it with successful performance. In fact, many of them are
the k-ε-A three equation NLEVM34) in excellent agreement with the DNS.
3. 3 Comparisons of model performance Since modelling the ε (or ω) equation is much
This subsection displays the near-wall more difficult than modelling the k equation, thus
performance of typical linear and nonlinear EVM's many of the predicted ε distributions poorly accord
listed in Tables 2 and 3. All the models listed, with the DNS data as seen in Fig. 9. Nonetheless,
except for the W92 44), the SA 45) and the ARG 46) the result of the nonlinear CLS model shows quite
models, have already been discussed or referred to. excellent agreement with the DNS, and those of the
The W92 model is the latest version of the linear k-ω linear KK and the nonlinear AKN models are also
model. Among the nonlinear EVM's, the SA and the fairly acceptable.
ARG models are, respectively, a k-ε model and a k-ω Another important feature of a LRN model is grid
model based on the nonlinear stress-strain model of dependency on the predicted results. Fig. 10 shows
Gatski & Speziale43). the grid dependency on the predictive performance
Fig. 7 compares the predicted turbulent shear of the mean velocity in the pipe flow measured by
Linear EVM's
1
Table 2 Linear EVM's.
0.8
Model transport near-wall
0.6 Kim(1989),
−uv+
CLS,
variables parameters ARG,
0.4 SA,
k, ε
38)
NY: Nisizima & Yoshizawa(1987) Rt, y+ AKN,
MK,
MK: Myong & Kasagi(1990)40) k, ε Rt, y+ 0.2 NY,
k, ε
45)
SA: Speziale & Abid(1995) Rt, Ry
0
ARG: Abid, Rumsey & Gatski(1995)46) k, ω Rt 0 20 40 60 80 100
AKN: Abe, Kondoh & Nagano(1995)19) k, ε Rt, y* y+
~
CLS: Craft, Launder & Suga(1995)29) k, ε, A2 Rt, S, A2
~
Suga(1997)34) k, ε, A Rt, A
Fig. 7 Turbulent shear stress.
Laufer47). The solid lines noted as 100% are the apparently shown. As mentioned in §3.2 and clearly
results with a fine enough grid whose first grid node shown in Fig. 14, however, the author's k- ε -A
is located just under unity of the wall unit (y1+< 1.0). NLEVM can capture stress anisotropy near the free
The lines noted as x% are the results using a grid surface while the CLS model cannot. This model
whose grid node density normal to the wall is x% of performance of the k-ε-A model is believed to be
that of the fine enough grid. Obviously, the LS very useful if the model is used to calculate heat and
model is very sensitive to the grid density and many mass transfer through a shear-free interface which is
of the other LRN models need at least a 50% grid one of the key phenomena of the environmental
node density of the fine enough grid. (The first grid issues.
node's y+ of this 50% grid is about 2.0: y1+~2.0.) 4. Conclusions
The nonlinear CLS, MK and NY models, however,
show equivalent performance even with the 40% The following aspects may be summarized
grid distributed from y1+~4.0. On the whole, it can through this review covering the recent research
be said the CLS model shows the best performance works on the eddy viscosity modelling of turbulence.
in the models compared in Fig. 10 in terms of the 1. Until recently, the wall distance y was often
predictive accuracy and the grid sensitivity. used in the low-Reynolds-number eddy viscosity
Fig. 11-13 show the predicted near-wall turbulent models, while the use of y limited the model's
intensities by the NLEVM's compared with the applicability.
DNS13) data. The CLS model clearly demonstrates 2. Many researchers have started to find general
the best performance while the other models do not local parameters for detecting wall effects. The
successfully mimic the stress anisotropy. proposed near-wall invariant parameters so far are
The near-wall performance of the author's k-ε-A the strain invariant S, the stress invariant A2 and the
three equation NLEVM is comparable to that of the stress flatness parameter A. Although they require
CLS (k- ε -A 2 ) model though it has not been
Linear EVM's
Linear EVM's 0.3
5 Kim(1989),
0.25 LS,
W92,
4 0.2 YS,
RM,
KK,
3 ε+ 0.15 CI,
+
k Kim(1989),
LS, 0.1
2
W92,
YS, 0.05
1 RM,
KK, 0
CI, 0 20 40 60 80 100
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 y+
y+
NLEVM's NLEVM's
5 0.3
Kim(1989),
0.25 CLS,
4 ARG,
0.2 SA,
AKN,
3 MK,
k+ ε+ 0.15 NY,
Kim(1989),
2 CLS, 0.1
ARG,
SA,
1 AKN, 0.05
MK,
0 NY, 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
y+ y+
solving their transport equations, the models streamline curvature and swirl effects.
including their effects showed encouraging results. 4. The combined effects of the new local near-wall
3. The use of nonlinear terms in the stress-strain parameters and nonlinear stress-strain relations have
relation is essential to predict complex strain fields. significantly extended performance of the eddy
Moreover, the cubic terms are necessary to mimic viscosity scheme. In particular, the use of A has
20 20
CI CLS
15 15
10 10
KK AKN
5 5
0 0
RM ARG
5 5
0 0
U+
U+
YS SA
5 5
0 0
W92 MK
5 5
0 0
LS NY
5 5
0 0
5 5
0 0
1 10 100 1000 1 10 100 1000
y+ y+
2 2
v’+ w’+ u’+
v’+ w’+ u’+
1 1
0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
y+ y+