Fully explicit and self-consistent algebraic Reynolds stress model

Abstract

A fully-explicit, self-consistent algebraic expression for the Reynolds stress, which is the exact solution to the Reynolds stress transport equation in the `weak equilibrium'' limit for two-dimensional mean flows for all linear and some quasi-linear pressure-strain models, is derived. Current explicit algebraic Reynolds stress models derived by employing the `weak equilibrium'' assumption treat the production-to-dissipation (P varepsilon) ratio implicitly, resulting in an effective viscosity that can be singular away from the equilibrium limit. In the present paper, the set of simultaneous algebraic Reynolds stress equations are solved in the full non-linear form and the eddy viscosity is found to be non-singular. Preliminary tests indicate that the model performs adequately, even for three dimensional mean flow cases. Due to the explicit and non-singular nature of the effective viscosity, this model should mitigate many of the difficulties encountered in computing complex turbulent flows with the algebraic Reynolds stress models.