Reynolds number effects on wavelet components of self-preserving turbulent structures

Abstract

The effect of the Reynolds number on the wavelet-decomposed turbulent structures in a self-preserving plane wake has been investigated for Re_{theta} (based on the free-stream velocity and momentum thickness, theta, of the wake) =1350 and 4600. Measurements were made at x/theta (x is the streamwise distance downstream of the cylinder) =580 for the circular cylinder using two orthogonal arrays of 16 X wires, eight in the (x,y) plane, and eight in the (x,z) plane. A wavelet multiresolution technique is used to analyze the measured hot-wire data. This technique decomposes turbulence structures into a number of components based on their central frequencies, which are linked with the turbulence scales. Sectional streamlines and vorticity contours at the same central frequency, i.e., the comparable scales of turbulent structures, are examined and compared between the two Reynolds numbers. Discernible differences are observed in the turbulent structures of relatively large to intermediate scales. The differences are further quantified in terms of contributions from the turbulent structures of different scales to the Reynolds stresses, vorticity variance, and probability density functions of the fluctuating velocities. The large-scale structure contributes most to the Reynolds stresses and this contribution drops for the higher Re_{theta}.