Simulations of the turbulent channel flow at Reτ = 180 with projection‐based finite element variational multiscale methods

Abstract

AbstractProjection‐based variational multiscale (VMS) methods, within the framework of an inf–sup stable second order finite element method for the Navier–Stokes equations, are studied in simulations of the turbulent channel flow problem at Reτ = 180. For comparison, the Smagorinsky large eddy simulation (LES) model with van Driest damping is included into the study. The simulations are performed on very coarse grids. The VMS methods give often considerably better results. For second order statistics, however, the differences to the reference values are sometimes rather large. The dependency of the results on parameters in the eddy viscosity model is much weaker for the VMS methods than for the Smagorinsky LES model with van Driest damping. It is shown that one uniform refinement of the coarse grids allows an underresolved direct numerical simulations (DNS). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.