Reynolds-Number Dependence of Gas Dispersion Over a Wavy Wall

Abstract

Large-eddy simulation is used to investigate the Reynolds-number dependence of gas dispersion over a wavy wall, because the Reynolds-number dependence is important for reproducing normal flow and gas dispersion in a wind tunnel. The ratio of amplitude to wavelength of the wavy surface is set to 0.1, and the Reynolds number based on the bulk velocity and the channel height is varied from $$6.67\times 10^{3}$$ to $$6.67\times 10^{4}$$ . Two tracer gases are emitted from point sources located at a single crest and trough of the wavy wall. For the lowest Reynolds number, the flow over the wavy wall separates behind the crest and reattaches to the upslope. A recirculation zone is observed near the trough, and the gas emitted from the trough is transported upwind by the recirculating reverse flow. Some gas is discharged from the valley by intermittent velocity bursts that originate in the recirculation zone. As the Reynolds number is increased, the recirculation zone shrinks and the flow increasingly follows the wavy wall. The gas generally disperses in the forward direction and is discharged by the advective flow. As for the gas emitted from the crest, this disperses with the separating flow, while some gas is trapped within the recirculation zone at the lower Reynolds number. As the Reynolds number is increased, the gas advection increasingly follows the wavy wall and the height of the peak concentration approaches the wavy wall. In addition, the accumulated concentration within the valley in both sources depends strongly on the Reynolds number.