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Computational Modelling of Turbulent Mixing in Confined Swirling Environment Under Constant and Variable Density Conditions

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Abstract

A high-intensity swirling flow in a model combustor subjected to large density variations has been examined computationally. The focus is on the Favre-averaged Navier–Stokes computations of the momentum and scalar transport employing turbulence models based on the differential second-moment closure (SMC) strategy. An updated version of the basic, high-Reynolds number SMC model accounting for a quadratic expansion of both the pressure–strain and dissipation tensors and a near-wall SMC model were used for predicting the mean velocity and turbulence fields. The accompanied mixing between the annular swirling air flow and the central non-swirling helium jet was studied by applying three scalar flux models differing mainly in the model formulation for the pressure-scalar gradient correlation. The computed axial and circumferential velocities agree fairly well with the reference experiment [So et al., NASA Contractor Report 3832, 1984; Ahmed and So, Exp. Fluids 4 (1986) 107], reproducing important features of such a weakly supercritical flow configuration (tendency of the flow core to separate). Although the length at which the mixing was completed was reproduced in reasonable agreement with the experimental results, the mixing activity in terms of the spreading rate of the shear/mixing layer, that is its thickness, was somewhat more intensive. Prior to these investigations, the model applied was validated by computing the transport of the passive scalar in the non-swirling (Johnson and Bennet, Report NASA CR-165574, UTRC Report R81-915540-9, 1981) and swirling (Roback and Johnson, NASA Contractor Report 168252, 1983) flow in a model combustor.

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  1. FG Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics, Darmstadt University of Technology, Petersenstrasse 30, D-64287, Darmstadt, Germany

    R. Jester-Zürker, S. Jakirlić & C. Tropea

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  1. R. Jester-Zürker
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  2. S. Jakirlić
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  3. C. Tropea
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Correspondence to R. Jester-Zürker.

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Jester-Zürker, R., Jakirlić, S. & Tropea, C. Computational Modelling of Turbulent Mixing in Confined Swirling Environment Under Constant and Variable Density Conditions. Flow Turbulence Combust 75, 217–244 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10494-005-8578-1

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