Variational calculus in hybrid turbulence transport models with passive scalar

Abstract

Non-zonal methods of hybrid Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations-Large Eddy Simulation (LES) with subfilter transport equations enable to simulate turbulent flows out of spectral equilibrium on relatively coarse grid resolution. They can operate from RANS to LES depending on a control parameter linked to the grid step size. Variational analysis gives a useful framework to specify the functional dependence of this parameter to the grid size. This is the case for the partially integrated transport modelling method originally established in spectral space for homogeneous turbulence. The partitioning control function then monitors the ratio of the subfilter part to the total turbulent energy and the same process is developed in the present work for the thermal or transported scalar variance as well. So, we demonstrate here that this control function mechanism can be derived by variational calculus from a mathematical physics formalism developed both for first-order and second-order moment closures. We show that the result is entirely consistent with the spectral model derivation made in previous papers and that this approach can be transposed to almost any subfilter transport model developed in hybrid RANS-LES methodology in full generality. As a result, it will be evidenced also that resolved turbulent diffusion terms play a significant role in the acting mechanisms of turbulence and cannot be therefore neglected, even if these terms do not explicitly appear in LES subfilter closure because they are computed by the simulation itself and not modelled by the subfilter model. In addition, numerical simulations have been performed for illustrating the theoretical results of the variational analysis.