Eddies In Wake Research Articles

On the aeroacoustic simulation and far-field noise modeling of a cylinder turbulent wake at the Reynolds number of 3900

The turbulent wake flows of circular cylinders have been under extensive study due to their strong fluctuating forces and noise levels, yet the relationship between them has rarely been examined. In this study, a high-fidelity numerical simulation is performed for a cylinder wake flow at the Reynolds number of 3900, aimed at far-field noise modeling based on the investigation of noise source characteristics. Despite irregular multi-scale turbulent wake eddies, the primary vortex shedding that resembles the Karman vortex shedding is observed, and the modes extracted by the dynamic mode decomposition technique at the primary shedding frequency and its higher harmonics appear as nearly two-dimensional spanwise structures. A non-permeable Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) approach is used to formulate the far-field noise spectra as the surface integral of unsteady flow samples on the cylinder surface and the volume integral of unsteady stress in the turbulent wake. The former can be modeled as the dipole sound of unsteady lift and drag, and the latter can be modeled as the tonal noise of discrete two-dimensional (i.e., spanwise-averaged) vortex modes. The results show that the vortex sound is extremely weak. Thus, the far-field noise can be modeled almost entirely by the aerodynamic forces, and the quantitative relationship between them is established by the convective FW-H solutions.

Diapycnal Mixing Induced by Rough Small‐Scale Bathymetry

AbstractDiapycnal mixing impacts vertical transport rates of salt, heat, and other dissolved substances, essential for the overturning circulation and ecosystem functioning in marine systems. While most studies have focused on mixing induced by individual obstacles in tidal flows, we investigate the net effect of non‐tidal flow over multiple small‐scale (<1 km) bathymetric features penetrating a strongly‐stratified density interface in a coastal region. We combine high‐resolution broadband acoustic observations of turbulence microstructure with traditional shear microstructure profiling, to resolve the variability and intermittency of stratified turbulence related to the rough bathymetry. Scale analysis and acoustic imaging suggest that underlying mixing mechanisms are related to topographic wake eddies and breaking internal waves. Depth averaged dissipation rates (1.1 × 10−7 Wkg−1) and turbulent vertical diffusivities (7 × 10−4 m2s−1) in the halocline exceed reference values by two orders of magnitude. Our study emphasizes the importance of rough small‐scale bathymetric features for the vertical transport of salt in coastal areas.

Evolution of eddy viscosity in the wake of a wind turbine

Abstract. The eddy viscosity hypothesis is a popular method in wind turbine wake modeling for estimating turbulent Reynolds stresses. We document the downstream evolution of eddy viscosity in the wake of a wind turbine from experimental and large-eddy-simulation data. Wake eddy viscosity is isolated from its surroundings by subtracting the inflow profile, and the driving forces are identified in each wake region. Eddy viscosity varies in response to changes in turbine geometry and nacelle misalignment with larger turbines generating stronger velocity gradients and shear stresses. We propose a model for eddy viscosity based on a Rayleigh distribution. Model parameters are obtained from scaling the eddy viscosity hypothesis and demonstrate satisfactory agreement with the reference data. The model is implemented in the curled wake formulation in the FLOw Redirection and Induction in Steady State (FLORIS) framework and assessed through comparisons with the previous formulation. Our approach produced more accurate flow field estimates with lower total error for the majority of cases.

Cyclonic and Anticyclonic Asymmetry of Reef and Atoll Wakes in the Xisha Archipelago

A high-resolution (∼500 m) numerical model was used to study the reef and atoll wakes in the Xisha Archipelago (XA) during 2009. Statistical analyses of simulation data indicated strong cyclonic dominance in the mixing layer (above ∼35 m) and weak anticyclonic dominance in the subsurface layer (35∼160 m) for both eddies and filaments in the XA. The intrinsic dynamical properties of the flow, such as the vertical stratification and velocity magnitude, and the terrain of reefs and atolls had a significant effect on the asymmetry. Without considering the existence of reefs and atolls, the “background cyclonic dominance” generated under local planetary rotation (f≈4.1×10−5 s−1) and vertical stratification (with mean Brunt–Väisälä frequency N = 0.02 s−1 at 75 m) was stronger for filaments than eddies in the upper layer from 0∼200 m, and the larger vorticity amplitude in the cyclonic filaments could greatly enhance the cyclonic wake eddies. Furthermore, inertial–centrifugal instability induced selective destabilization of anticyclonic wake eddies in different water layers. As the Rossby number (Ro) and core vorticity (Burger number, Bu) decreased (increased) with the water depth, a more stable state was achieved for the anticyclonic wake eddies in the deeper layer. The stratification and slipping reefs and atolls also led to vertical decoupled shedding, which intensified the asymmetry.

Measurements of Turbulence Generated by Wake Eddies Near a Steep Headland

AbstractTidal and low‐frequency flows interact with abrupt topographic features, giving rise to a variety of small‐scale phenomena including lee waves, vortical motions and turbulence. With the goal of identifying the processes that transfer momentum and energy between the larger‐scale and smaller‐scale flows, detailed tidally‐resolving shipboard surveys were conducted near a sharp and steep headland north of Velasco Reef, Palau, in the Western Pacific. We present velocity, microstructure and rapid‐cycling conductivity and temperature measurements, contextualized with a nearby 10‐month moored record, to examine wake and vortex structures. Observed flow near Velasco Reef was layered and multi‐directional in depth such that the “downstream” side of the headland depended on depth. Downstream of the headland, during a period where mean flow dominated over the tide in the top 100 m of the water column, turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rates were enhanced by up to three orders of magnitude relative to those upstream. During a period dominated by tides, the flow reversed periodically and wake eddies were associated with turbulent dissipation rates up to . Turbulent dissipation rates in the wake increased with inverse Richardson number for both tidal and mean flows past the headland, and were larger for stronger vorticity flows. Our analysis suggests that the eddies themselves lead to shear instabilities and subsequent turbulence, either through tilting or their limited vertical extent. We associate the enhanced downstream dissipation with a combination of breaking internal tides and either these eddy processes or a multi‐scaled turbulent wake.

Stirring and Mixing in the Wake of Velasco Reef, Palau

AbstractOver 2 years, underwater gliders measured currents, temperature, and salinity along lines 40 km up‐ and downstream of the abrupt topography of Palau to examine topographic effects on the incident flow. The mean flow is westward and is associated with the North Equatorial Current. Salinity on isopycnals is a passive tracer. During westward flow, this tracer variance is elevated downstream in the strongest flow north of the topography at scales of 36 km (evaluated from 12 to 60 km) consistent with a wake eddy at the scale of the topography. During eastward flow, variance is elevated downstream at all measured scales. This result suggests eddies are trapped at the topography because westward eddy propagation is opposed by the incident eastward flow. This time‐mean tracer and current structure up‐ and downstream are used to estimate terms in the advection‐diffusion equation. The mean isopycnal diffusivity is about 17 times greater than background values at 36‐km scales (and 40 times greater within 20 km of the topography), while the mean diapycnal diffusivity is 100 times greater than background values for this latitude. The contrast between up‐and downstream salinity on isopycnals can reach 0.2 psu over 5–10 km, which is seen in the glider measurements and one ship‐based survey. This contrast arises due to eddies detaching from the North Equatorial Countercurrent or its recirculations. These episodes are associated with westward‐propagating, intraseasonal Rossby waves.

Experimental study of flow and mass transport in the near-wake region of a rigid planar metal net panel

Aquaculture cages constructed from rigid material have become increasingly popular in recent years due in part to the continuous expansion of the aquaculture industry offshore, where cages need to withstand much harsher ocean conditions. Most previous studies of hydrodynamic interactions with aquaculture cages have explored the impacts of more traditional flexible cage net panels on wake flow fields and mass transport properties. In the current experimental study, Particle Image Velocimetry and Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence techniques were used to measure flow and concentration fields in the near wake region of a steady current through a rigid metal net panel to analyze both the flow patterns and mass transport processes. The results indicated that, similar to a flexible polyethylene net panel, the time-average velocities and turbulence characteristics in the near wake region were highly inhomogeneous and anisotropic, with the turbulent intensity following a short-range, power-law decay downstream of the panel. In direct comparison with a flexible net panel of similar net solidity, the rigid net panel was found to slightly enhance the lateral spreading of the plume, with cross-sectional profiles of the mean concentration and concentration fluctuation shown to exhibit self-similar Gaussian distributions. The rigid net panel also resulted in a lower flow blockage, as measured by a velocity reduction coefficient, with the corresponding turbulent intensity also reduced compared to the flexible panel due to an overall reduction in the drag force. In addition, the rigid panel tended to create larger wake eddies than the flexible panel, leading to enhanced scalar mixing and, hence, faster rates of concentration decay in the near-wake region. These experimental findings have potential implications for cage-based aquaculture operations, where rigid fish cages are comparatively more likely to generate favorable environments for fish growth, as well as helping to reduce negative impacts on the surrounding aquatic environment.

Aviation Turbulence Forecasting at DWD with ICON: Methodology, Case Studies, and Verification

AbstractWe present a detailed evaluation of the turbulence forecast product eddy dissipation parameter (EDP) used at the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD). It is based on the turbulence parameterization scheme TURBDIFF, which is operational within the Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic (ICON) numerical weather prediction model used operationally by DWD. For aviation purposes, the procedure provides the cubic root of the eddy dissipation rate ε1/3 as an overall turbulence index. This quantity is a widely used measure for turbulence intensity as experienced by aircraft. The scheme includes additional sources of turbulent kinetic energy with particular relevance to aviation, which are briefly introduced. These sources describe turbulence generation by the subgrid-scale action of wake eddies, mountain waves, and convection, as well as horizontal shear as found close to fronts or the jet stream. Furthermore, we introduce a postprocessing calibration to an empirical EDR distribution, and we demonstrate the potential as well as limitations of the final EDP-based turbulence forecast by considering several case studies of typical turbulence events. Finally, we reveal the forecasting capability of this product by verifying the model results against one year of aircraft in situ EDR measurements from commercial aircraft. We find that the forecasted EDP performs favorably when compared to the Ellrod index. In particular, the turbulence signal from deep convection, which is accounted for in the EDP product, is advantageous when spatial nonlocality is allowed in the verification procedure.

Broadband Submesoscale Vorticity Generated by Flow around an Island

AbstractAn array of moorings deployed off the coast of Palau is used to characterize submesoscale vorticity generated by broadband upper-ocean flows around the island. Palau is a steep-sided archipelago lying in the path of strong zonal geostrophic currents, but tides and inertial oscillations are energetic as well. Vorticity is correspondingly broadband, with both mean and variance O(f) in a surface and subsurface layer (where f is the local Coriolis frequency). However, while subinertial vorticity is linearly related to the incident subinertial current, the relationship between superinertial velocity and superinertial vorticity is weak. Instead, there is a strong nonlinear relationship between subinertial velocity and superinertial vorticity. A key observation of this study is that during periods of strong westward flow, vorticity in the tidal bands increases by an order of magnitude. Empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of velocity show this nonstationary, superinertial vorticity variance is due to eddy motion at the scale of the array. Comparison of kinetic energy and vorticity time series suggest that lateral shear against the island varies with the subinertial flow, while tidal currents lead to flow reversals inshore of the recirculating wake and possibly eddy shedding. This is a departure from the idealized analog typically drawn on in island wake studies: a cylinder in a steady flow. In that case, eddy formation occurs at a frequency dependent on the scale of the obstacle and strength of the flow alone. The observed tidal formation frequency likely modulates the strength of submesoscale wake eddies and thus their dynamic relationship to the mesoscale wake downstream of Palau.

Boundary layer-mediated vorticity generation in currents over sloping bathymetry

AbstractCurrent-topography interactions in the ocean give rise to eddies spanning a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Latest modeling efforts indicate that coastal and underwater topography are important generation sites for submesoscale coherent vortices (SCVs), characterized by horizontal scales of (0.1 – 10) km. Using idealized, submesoscale and BBL-resolving simulations and adopting an integrated vorticity balance formulation, we quantify precisely the role of bottom boundary layers (BBLs) in the vorticity generation process. In particular, we show that vorticity generation on topographic slopes is attributable primarily to the torque exerted by the vertical divergence of stress at the bottom. We refer to this as the Bottom Stress Divergence Torque (BSDT). BSDT is a fundamentally nonconservative torque that appears as a source term in the integrated vorticity budget and is to be distinguished from the more familiar Bottom Stress Curl (BSC). It is closely connected to the bottom pressure torque (BPT) via the horizontal momentum balance at the bottom and is in fact shown to be the dominant component of BPT in solutions with a well-resolved BBL. This suggests an interpretation of BPT as the sum of a viscous, vorticity generating component (BSDT) and an inviscid, ‘flow-turning ’ component. Companion simulations without bottom drag illustrate that although vorticity generation can still occur through the inviscid mechanisms of vortex stretching and tilting, the wake eddies tend to have weaker circulation, be substantially less energetic, and have smaller spatial scales.

Effects of bubble coalescence and breakup on CO2 absorption performance in nanoabsorbents

The complexity and dynamics of bubble coalescence and breakup have fascinated scientists for decades. In this study, we performed experiments and simulations involving successively rising bubbles in a rectangular bubble column for carbon dioxide absorption in nanoabsorbents (methanol with various concentrations of alumina nanoparticles). The variations of the bubble behavior were captured by a high-speed camera in experiments and simultaneously visualized via simulations. Firstly, we distinguished the orifice region and the bulk liquid region. The bubble diameter was determined by only the gas flow rate and orifice diameter in the orifice region; however, it changed significantly in the bulk liquid region, experiencing approximately four stages. Wake entrainment and eddy capture dominated the bubble coalescence in the bulk liquid region; however, the bubble breakup was mainly caused by eddy collision and the coalescence of two bubbles with a small surface tension force. Both coalescence and breakup were more likely to occur in liquids with a higher concentration of nanoparticles. Additionally, we considered the mass transfer coefficient in the liquid phase and found that it can be enhanced by the coalescence and breakup, through the generation of polydisperse bubble swarms. A correlated parameter was deduced that can be substituted in the Hughmark equation to predict the mass transfer coefficient of the CO2–methanol–nanoparticle system.

Energy and Momentum Lost to Wake Eddies and Lee Waves Generated by the North Equatorial Current and Tidal Flows at Peleliu, Palau

Energy and Momentum Lost to Wake Eddies and Lee Waves Generated by the North Equatorial Current and Tidal Flows at Peleliu, Palau

Mobile sensing of point-source gas emissions using Bayesian inference: An empirical examination of the likelihood function

This paper evaluates likelihood function forms for Bayesian inference of point-source gas emissions using a mobile sensor. Whereas Bayesian inference has been successfully used to estimate emission rates from time-averaged concentration data measured by stationary sensors, data collected by mobile sensors do not represent ensemble or time-averaged conditions. To examine the potential impact of this contrast, controlled release experiments were conducted with a mobile sensor measuring concentrations repeatedly along transverse cross sections of the downwind plumes. Experiments were conducted with measurements made at different downwind distances, different sensor heights, and with different obstacle states. An examination is made between two commonly-used likelihood functions, the Gaussian and the log-normal. For experiments conducted in the absence of obstacles, the Bayesian estimates using the log-normal likelihood function yield a much smaller bias than those based on the Gaussian likelihood function. This finding is consistent with the non-Gaussian nature of concentration fluctuations near a point-source. For experiments conducted in the presence of obstacles, the Bayesian inference based on the Gaussian likelihood function exhibits a better performance. This can be explained by the enhanced turbulent mixing due to the obstacle-introduced wake eddies. Overall, we find that the selection of the likelihood function can be physically related to the underlying conditions, and the proper selection is critical to ensure the performance of the Bayesian inference for source characterization using mobile sensing data.

Eddy Wake Generation From Broadband Currents Near Palau

AbstractWake eddies are frequently created by flow separation where ocean currents encounter abrupt topography in the form of islands or headlands. Most previous work has concentrated on wake eddy generation by either purely oscillatory (usually tidal) currents, or quasi‐steady mean flows. Here we report measurements near the point of flow separation at the northern end of the Palau island chain, where energetic tides and vertically sheared low‐frequency flows are both present. Energetic turbulence measured near the very steeply sloping ocean floor varied cubically with the total flow speed (primarily tidal). The estimated turbulent viscosity suggests a regime of flow separation and eddying wake generation for flows that directly feel this drag. Small‐scale (∼1 km), vertically sheared wake eddies of different vorticity signs were observed with a shipboard survey on both sides of the separation point, and significantly evolved over several tidal periods. The net production and export of vorticity into the wake, expected to sensitively depend on the interplay of tidal and low‐frequency currents, is explored here with a simple conceptual model. Application of the model to a 10‐month mooring record suggests that inclusion of high frequency oscillatory currents may boost the net flux of vorticity into the ocean interior by a depth dependent factor of 2 to 25. Models that do not represent the effect of these high frequency currents may not accurately infer the net momentum or energy losses felt where strong flows encounter steep island or headland topography.

A numerical study of island wakes in the Xisha Archipelago associated with mesoscale eddies in the spring

Eddies caused by island wakes often appear downstream of an island where upwelling currents are coupled with nutrient transport. Several island wake eddies downstream of the Yongle atoll (YA), Huaguang Reef (HR) and Yuzhuo Reef (YR) in the Xisha Archipelago (XA) are found based on SAR and GF-1 satellite images taken on April 14, 2009 and May 30, 2014, respectively. The present study aims to explore the features and mechanisms of spring island wakes based on a high-resolution numerical model as well as satellite data. Our results are: 1) The cyclonic wake eddies (CWEs) are surface-intensified, and introduce a 20 – 40 m uplift of the isopycnal for the most intense eddies; While the anticyclonic wake eddies (AWEs) reach a subsurface maximum at a depth of 25 – 50 m, which leads to the weak isopycnal downwelling. The CWEs are generally more abundant than the AWEs in different radius classes under different incoming flows, which is due to the inertial-centrifugal instability (ICI) of the AWEs. 2) In the XA, lower SST features observed in the downstream side of the reefs demonstrate the presence of current-induced island wakes. In the near wakes of YA, HR and YR, the periodic vorticity generation is mainly caused by shear flow instabilities arising from the side boundaries of the reefs. Anticyclonic vorticity generation is slightly larger than that of the cyclonic for these three reefs. 3) For the submesoscale wake dynamics, the barotropic instability is more significant than the baroclinic in the XA. Strong toroidal vortices of alternating sign, which strongly perturb the density, were observed as the existence of the ICI in the transects of an unstable intense AWE. But these could hardly be found in a weak AWE. The unstable AWEs may have a larger decay of the velocity at their eddy edges and large persistent vorticities at their cores, which lead to an increase of the ratio between the core vorticity and the Rossby number Γ. While stable AWEs have longer lifetimes with nearly constant Γ values that are similar to those of the stable CWEs.

Using eulerlets to model steady uniform flow past a circular cylinder

Consider uniform, steady flow past a circular cylinder at Reynolds numbers 26, 36 and 40 before the flow becomes unsteady. Model the flow by using eulerlets, new Green’s functions for Euler flow. This is the first time this eulerlet model has been used, introduced at the recent BETEQ 2017 International Conference. In addition, the far-field is also obtained by matching with oseenlets. Unlike existing Euler flow representations, the drag, wake eddies and far-field wake profile are all captured, and compare favourably with experiment.

LES simulation and experimental validation of the unsteady aerodynamics of blunt wind turbine airfoils

In order to investigate the unsteady performance of blunt wind turbine airfoils caused by boundary layer separation and wake eddies, this paper studies the aerodynamic performance by large eddy simulation (LES) and wind tunnel experiment at a Reynolds number of 2.62 × 10ˆ5. The blunt airfoils are obtained by enlarging the trailing edge of the DU 91-W2-250 airfoil to 6% and 10% chords symmetrically on both pressure and suction sides of the airfoil. The simulation was carried out with the incompressible finite-volume Navier-Stokes code EllipSys3D; and, the experiment was done in a wind tunnel with a cross-section of 0.5 m × 0.5 m by measuring the surface pressure and wake velocities using ESP-64HD pressure scanner and TSI hot-wire anemometer. The unsteady wake was captured by hot-wire in the wind tunnel, and LES with EllipSys3D. Both experiment and LES show that the spectrum of aerodynamic forces has a broadband nature which is in coincidence with the wake eddies, implying that the unsteady Kármán vortex sheet is the driving mechanism of the force fluctuation. Moreover, the trailing edge size affects the separation bubbles and transition process in the boundary layer. It shows that the boundary layer near the leading edge is unstable in the spanwise direction, which is characterized by low frequency waves.

The Generation of Rossby Waves and Wake Eddies by Small Islands

The Generation of Rossby Waves and Wake Eddies by Small Islands

High-resolution multi-code implementation of unsteady Navier–Stokes flow solver based on paralleled overset adaptive mesh refinement and high-order low-dissipation hybrid schemes

ABSTRACTThe low-dissipation high-order accurate hybrid up-winding/central scheme based on fifth-order weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) and sixth-order central schemes, along with the Spalart--Allmaras (SA)-based delayed detached eddy simulation (DDES) turbulence model, and the flow feature-based adaptive mesh refinement (AMR), are implemented into a dual-mesh overset grid infrastructure with parallel computing capabilities, for the purpose of simulating vortex-dominated unsteady detached wake flows with high spatial resolutions. The overset grid assembly (OGA) process based on collection detection theory and implicit hole-cutting algorithm achieves an automatic coupling for the near-body and off-body solvers, and the error-and-try method is used for obtaining a globally balanced load distribution among the composed multiple codes. The results of flows over high Reynolds cylinder and two-bladed helicopter rotor show that the combination of high-order hybrid scheme, advanced turbulence model, and overset adaptive mesh refinement can effectively enhance the spatial resolution for the simulation of turbulent wake eddies.

Systematical research on the aerodynamic noise of the high-lift airfoil based on FW-H method

In numerical computation of aerodynamic noises, the solution accuracy of flow fields has an obvious impact on detailed computation of eddy turbulence and acoustic results. In this paper, LES (Large Eddy Simulation) was used to conduct numerical simulation of flow fields of three-dimensional high-lift L1T2 airfoil. Unsteady flow field data on the solid wall face was extracted as the noise source. The integration method FW-H (Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings) was used to compute far-field noises. The numerical computation method was verified by experiments. Results show that: the numerical computation method used in this paper can provide an accurate solution for computing far-field aerodynamic noises. Finally, based on the verified numerical model, contribution amounts made by each high-lift airfoil component to noises as well as major factors affecting aerodynamic noises were analyzed. Computational results show that: the leading edge slats generated aerodynamic noises mainly because of the unsteady waves which were caused by the grooves between the slat and main wing, as well as small wake eddies generated on the trailing edge of slats; flaps generated aerodynamic noises mainly because of mixing between high-frequency small-scale eddies and low-frequency large-scale eddies caused by flow separation around the wing flaps. Acoustic directivity of leading edge slats and trailing edge flaps showed an obvious dipole characteristic. For both of them, the sound pressure levels reached the maximum value in the direction perpendicular to the chord line.