On The Determination Of Conditional Statistics Along Gradient Trajectories At The Turbulent/Non-Turbulent Interface Of Jet Flows.

Abstract

Conditional sampling and averaging are valuable techniques for discerning and quantifying notable regions within turbulent flows. These methods have been particularly prevalent in experimental and numerical investigations of turbulent shear flows. Conditional statistics effectively analyze the dynamics and characteristics of turbulent flows, offering insights into transitional behaviors and distinct features within these regimes. This approach is instrumental in studying turbulent shear flows, such as jets or mixing layers, where a well-defined zone separates the turbulent core from the non-turbulent surrounding fluid. This zone, known as the Turbulent/Non-Turbulent Interface (TNTI), plays a crucial role in various phenomenological changes, including the transfer of mass, momentum, and scalar fluxes. While statistics in jet flows are often reported along the radial direction for a given downstream position, this method can obscure the underlying physical processes. Scalar dissipation rate, transport, or turbulent kinetic energy involve velocity or concentration gradients at the flow interface. To date, the impact of sampling direction on conditional statistics within jet flows has not yet been thoroughly discussed. This study focuses on determining gradient trajectories at the interface of turbulent flows. Gradient trajectories have been used to explore structures in turbulent flows, proving effective in analyzing homogeneous shear turbulence. This study introduces a methodology for sampling conditional data by computing gradient trajectories intersecting the TNTI. The primary objective is to verify whether sampling statistics along the gradient of scalar concentration provide a more detailed understanding of the processes occurring near the TNTI. The methodology involves computing a field of gradient trajectories from concentration fields obtained through Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) in a N2/N2 jet with Re = 2900. Conditional statistics at the TNTI of a jet flow along the gradient trajectory for a given downstream position are calculated and reported. The paper aims to compare conditional statistics along gradient trajectories with those obtained along radial and normal directions at the TNTI. It is expected that gradient trajectory statistics align more closely with normal direction statistics near the interface and diverge as it gets into the jet or coflow fluid.