Turbulent Wake Research Articles

Local Equilibrium Approximation in the Mathematical Model of the Far Turbulent Wake Behind a Body of Revolution

Local Equilibrium Approximation in the Mathematical Model of the Far Turbulent Wake Behind a Body of Revolution

On Vorticity Dynamics in Turbulent Wake behind Circular Cylinder

The circular cylinder turbulent wake is studied experimentally using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) method. The vorticity component parallel to the cylinder axis is evaluated from measured velocity field. Dynamics of the vorticity field is analysed using the Oscillation Pattern Decomposition (OPD) method. The 3 dominant modes corresponding to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd harmonics of Strouhal frequency are detected and presented. The corresponding topologies are characterized by waves of vortical systems. The results are similar to the dynamics of velocity field, however the procedure is much easier to implement, as only half number of degrees of freedom are active.

Direct numerical simulation of flow over a cylinder immersed in the grid-generated turbulence

In this study, we conducted three-dimensional direct numerical simulations to investigate the impact of incoming turbulence on the flow dynamics behind a single main cylinder at Reynolds number of Re = 3900. The incoming turbulence is generated by ten side-by-side cylindrical grid bars, whose center-to-center distance T is set equal to 2D, where D is the diameter of both the grid bars and the main cylinder. It is found that in the wake of the grid bars, the non-Gaussian production region and the homogeneous decay region, which are, respectively, located at X/D<4 and X/D>4, were separated by the development of turbulence intensity Ti. Compared to the uniform incoming flow, the hydrodynamic forces induced by the present incoming turbulence are markedly distinct in magnitude. Specifically, the time-averaged drag coefficient C¯d is increased by 29.4%, and more surprisingly, the root mean square value of the lift coefficient is increased by as much as 500%. Statistical analysis is then performed, in terms of the Reynolds stresses, mean field, and the turbulent wake visualization to show variations in the flow dynamics. Results indicate that the incoming turbulence could accelerate the turbulent transition of shear layers and lead to a contraction of the vortex formation region. In addition, the long streamwise streaky vortical structures leading to an increase in Reynolds stress are found in front of the cylinder surface, which illustrates that the effect of incoming turbulence has penetrated inside the front boundary layer.

Significance of Motion Cues in Research Using Flight Simulators

The effectiveness of alternative displays (primary flight and predictive displays) were studied in experiments with and without motion cues. The ground-based simulations involved the task of landing in wake turbulence performed by a medium-haul and a second-generation supersonic aircraft.

Spacing-Assistant for Leipzig and Munich Approach

Before the COVID-19 pandemic and as the ATM industry recovers again, there is a growing demand for airport capacity. A possibility to meet this demand is to introduce revised wake turbulence categories and reduced separation minima according to RECAT. To enable air traffic controllers to memorize and apply these, DFS developed a Spacing-Assistant which shows the optimal turning point from the downwind to the final approach, the minimum separation between aircraft, and their optimal spacing to achieve the separation target. It automatically detects gaps on the final and calculates turning points for aircraft on the downwind to fill these gaps. In mixed mode operations, it can also be actively used to plan gaps for departures between arrivals. Objective and subjective data were collected in a Real Time Simulation with four air traffic controllers from Leipzig and Munich Approach. Results indicate that the Spacing-Assistant supports the controllers’ situational awareness and planning. It shows the potential to save capacity when taking over a working position by helping to quickly familiarize with the traffic situation and to stabilize runway throughput. When working with the Spacing-Assistant the final was shorter which implies a reduced environmental and noise impact.

CHARACTERISTICS OF WAKE TURBULENCE GENERATED BY A NORMAL FLAT PLATE

CHARACTERISTICS OF WAKE TURBULENCE GENERATED BY A NORMAL FLAT PLATE

アーバンエアモビリティの離着陸フェーズのための乱気流警報システム

This paper presents a new method to construct a nowcasting system for air turbulence at vertiport for safe takeoff and landing of UAM (=Urban Air Mobility). Since a vertiport is likely to be located on building rooftops, the effects of wake turbulence and downdrafts between structures may lead to serious accidents. A turbulence warning system at the vertiport would allow for the prior avoidance of hazards by shifting the timing of takeoffs and landings. Although direct observation by remote sensing devices and an advanced CFD analysis are expected to be useful for this problem, it is not easy to realize due to various uncertainties and physical constraints specific to complex urban spaces. In this study, we propose a technique to predict wind conditions and flight hazards specific to urban spaces using multi-point observation by distributed installation of low-cost small pressure sensor units.

The Effects of Turbulence Intensity and Tip Speed Ratio on the Coherent Structure of Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine Wake: A Wind Tunnel Experiment

The evolution laws of the large-eddy coherent structure of the wind turbine wake have been evaluated via wind tunnel experiments under uniform and turbulent inflow conditions. The spatial correlation coefficients, the turbulence integral scales and power spectrum are obtained at different tip speed ratios (TSRs) based on the time-resolved particle image velocity (TR-PIV) technique. The results indicate that the large-eddy coherent structures are more likely to dissipate with an increase in turbulence intensity and TSR. Furthermore, the spatial correlation of the longitudinal pulsation velocity is greater than its axial counterpart, resulting into a wake turbulence dominated by the longitudinal pulsation. With an increase of turbulence intensity, the integral scale of the axial turbulence increases, meanwhile, its longitudinal counterpart decreases. Owing to an increase in TSR, the integral scale of axial turbulence decreases, whereas, that of the longitudinal turbulence increases. By analyzing the wake power spectrum, it is found that the turbulent pulsation kinetic energy of the wake structure is mainly concentrated in the low-frequency vortex region. The dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy increases with an increase of turbulence intensity and the turbulence is transported and dissipated on a smaller scale vortex, thus promoting the recovery of wake.

Plate lines to enhance wake vortex decay for reduced separations between landing aircraft

To mitigate the risk of wake vortex encounters during final approach, so-called plate lines have been developed. Data collected during a six-month measurement campaign at Vienna International Airport are used to assess the potential for reducing minimum aircraft separations facilitated by plate lines during approach and landing following the re-categorisation (RECAT-EU) methodology for revised wake turbulence categorisation. To ensure that no other parameters controlling wake vortex decay bias the analysis, it is verified that wind speed, atmospheric turbulence, thermal stratification and flight altitude reside in similar ranges with and without the plates. The analysis follows the steps of the RECAT-EU method to generate non-dimensional so-called reasonable worst-case circulation decay curves; one as a reference for nominal operations without plates and one representing the accelerated wake vortex decay brought about by the plate lines. The difference between the two circulation decay curves corresponds to the non-dimensional time-based aircraft separation reduction potential that can be translated into distance-based separation gains. Depending on the particular RECAT-EU category combination, the attained aircraft separation reduction potential ranges between 12% and 15%. Constricting the analysis to wake vortices generated by one aircraft type representing the Upper Heavy RECAT-EU category, the separation reduction potential amounts up to 24%.

Electromagnetic Scattering of Near-Field Turbulent Wake Generated by Accelerated Propeller

The electromagnetic scattering study of the turbulent wake of a moving ship has important application value in target recognition and tracking. However, to date, there has been insufficient research into the electromagnetic characteristics of near-field propeller turbulence. This study presents a new procedure for evaluating the electromagnetic scattering coefficient and imaging characteristics of turbulent wakes in the near field. By controlling the different values of the net momenta, a turbulent wake was generated using the large-eddy simulation method. The results show that the net momentum transferred to the background flow field determines the development of the turbulent wake, which explains the formation mechanism of the turbulence. Combined with the turbulent energy attenuation spectrum, the electromagnetic scattering characteristics of the turbulent wake were calculated using the two-scale facet mode. Using this method, the impact of different parameters on the scattering coefficient and the electromagnetic image of the turbulence wake were investigated, to explain the modulation mechanism and electromagnetic imaging characteristics of the near-field turbulent wake. Moreover, an application for estimating a ship’s heading is proposed based on the electromagnetic imaging characteristics of the turbulent wake.

Simulation of the turbulent axisymmetric bluff body wake with pulsed jet forcing

A turbulent axisymmetric bluff body wake is investigated using large eddy simulation to uncover key flow dynamics and structures. The effect of low-frequency and high-frequency pulsed jet forcing at the point of separation is studied to reveal the underlying mechanisms involved in the base pressure changes, which provide a reference for bluff body drag reduction and active flow control.

Control of the turbulent wake flow behind a circular cylinder by asymmetric sectoral hydrophobic coatings

We demonstrate that sectoral coating by a hydrophobic fluoropolymer is an effective method for controlling flow separation and the turbulent wake behind a cylinder in high Reynolds number flows (Re = 2.2 × 105). Time-resolved particle image velocimetry measurements show that the shape of the wake and trajectory of large-scale vortex structures are inclined due to delayed flow separation on one side of the cylinder. Near-wall, high-resolution visualization reveals that this effect is related to micro-bubbles traveling along the coated surface. The properties of the coatings and bubble presence did not deteriorate, even after many hours of continuous facility operation.

Influence of pressure on the wake of a hydrophobic circular cylinder for a flow regime with Reynolds number of 2.2×105

Vortex flow structures in a turbulent wake behind a circular Teflon cylinder immersed in an incoming flow with a change in pressure for the Reynolds number Re = 2.2×105 have been experimentally studied using a two-dimensional image (2D-PIV) of particles in a closed-circuit water tunnel. The obtained results are presented in the form of time-averaged velocity fields, Reynolds stresses, and distributions of turbulent kinetic energy. The flow data showed that the size of the wake flow region, Reynolds stresses and turbulent kinetic energy change depending on the pressure in the flow. As a result of a 20% reduction in pressure, the size of the vortex zone in the wake increases by about 20%.

Experimental and numerical investigation of the transition progress of strut-induced wakes in the supersonic flows

Strut serves as an effective and robust flameholder in a scramjet combustor, and the resultant wakes have a great impact on the fuel mixing and flame stabilization. Present work focuses on the non-reactive flow induced by strut without fuel injection, removing the effect of chemical reactions on turbulence. To investigate the transition process of turbulent wakes, both high-resolution experiments and numerical simulations are conducted. An advanced optical measurement technique is adopted to visualize the flow structures in different Mach conditions, and to disclose the compressible effect on the shear layer. Experimental results indicate that the scale of turbulent vortices decreases and the transition becomes difficult with the decline of Reynolds number in the cases with the same total temperature and pressure. Evidently, the viscous effect gets weakened for the supersonic flow with a high Reynolds number, giving rise to large scale vortex streets. On this basis, the intrinsic mechanism that governs the instability of shear layer is investigated by large eddy simulation. The strut-induced wakes can be divided into three parts, namely the recirculation zone, the transition zone and the downstream turbulent zone. A type of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability produced by the interactions of the reattachment shock and shear stress, should be responsible for the generation of the initial streamwise vortices during the transition process of shear layer. Thus, the flow instability rapidly grows as a form of nonlinear, magnifies, and changes the mean velocity profile of the shear layer, leading to its transition from laminar state to turbulence. Finally, the influence of turbulence on the temporal and spatial evolution of the vortices in the wakes is analyzed in deep. The upstream turbulent fluctuations facilitate the occurrence of transition process, and promote to generate larger scale spanwise vortex streets. Present work can help us understand the flow dynamics of turbulent wakes in a strut-stabilized scramjet combustor.

Evaluation of three potential machine learning algorithms for predicting the velocity and turbulence intensity of a wind turbine wake

In this paper, three machine learning (ML) algorithms, Support Vector Regression (SVR), Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), are validated to estimate the velocity and turbulence intensity of a wind turbine's wake at distinct downstream distances. To this end, a series of high-fidelity numerical simulations for the NREL Phase VI wind turbine is carried out to generate training and test datasets for the three machine learning algorithms. The predicted wake velocity and turbulence intensity from the ML models are also contrasted with significant existing analytical wake models. Machine learning algorithms estimate velocity and turbulence intensity in the wake in a way commensurate to the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations while running at a similar pace as low-fidelity wake models. The results demonstrate that machine learning-based algorithms can predict velocity and turbulence intensity better with higher precision than the traditional analytical wake models.

Wake of Elongated Low-Rise Building at Oblique Incidences

We investigated the turbulent wake of an elongated low-rise building at oblique wind incidence via wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulations. The deflection phenomenon of mean building wake is clearly supported by the downwind trajectory of the point of maximum velocity deficit. A two-step mechanism is proposed for the understanding of the wake deflection process and its evolution in the building wake. The oblique wind incidence leads to a location shift of shear layer flow competition in the near-wake region (“WD1”) and then the deflected prevailing wind extends its effect in the far-wake region (“WD2”). The streamwise development of lateral wake deflection predicted from this mechanism, as well as the variations with height due to the three-dimensional wake structure, compares well with the measurement and simulation results. For aviation safety assessment of wake effect of the present building on aircraft landing, the data are compared to the “1:35 rule” and “7-knot criterion”. In addition, the importance of velocity fluctuation is demonstrated with an exceedance probability analysis.

Transition in an infinite swept-wing boundary layer subject to surface roughness and free-stream turbulence

The instability of an incompressible boundary-layer flow over an infinite swept wing in the presence of disc-type roughness elements and free-stream turbulence (FST) has been investigated by means of direct numerical simulations. Our study corresponds to the experiments by Örlü et al. (Tech. Rep., KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 2021, http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-291874). Here, different dimensions of the roughness elements and levels of FST have been considered. The aim of the present work is to investigate the experimentally observed sensitivity of the transition to the FST intensity. In the absence of FST, flow behind the roughness elements with a height above a certain value immediately undergoes transition to turbulence. Impulse–response analyses of the steady flow have been performed to identify the mechanism behind the observed flow instability. For subcritical roughness, the generated wave packet experiences a weak transient growth behind the roughness and then its amplitude decays as it is advected out of the computational domain. In the supercritical case, in which the flow transitions to turbulence, flow as expected exhibits an absolute instability. The presence of FST is found to have a significant impact on the transition behind the roughness, in particular in the case of a subcritical roughness height. For a height corresponding to a roughness Reynolds number $Re_{hh}=461$ , in the absence of FST the flow reaches a steady laminar state, while a very low FST intensity of $Tu =0.03\,\%$ causes the appearance of turbulence spots in the wake of the roughness. These randomly generated spots are advected out of the computational domain. For a higher FST level of $Tu=0.3\,\%$ , a turbulent wake is clearly visible behind the element, similar to that for the globally unstable case. The presented results confirm the experimental observations and explain the mechanisms behind the observed laminar–turbulent transition and its sensitivity to FST.

Results from a wake-steering experiment at a commercial wind plant: investigating the wind speed dependence of wake-steering performance

Abstract. Wake steering is a wind farm control strategy in which upstream wind turbines are misaligned with the wind to redirect their wakes away from downstream turbines, thereby increasing the net wind plant power production and reducing fatigue loads generated by wake turbulence. In this paper, we present results from a wake-steering experiment at a commercial wind plant involving two wind turbines spaced 3.7 rotor diameters apart. During the 3-month experiment period, we estimate that wake steering reduced wake losses by 5.6 % for the wind direction sector investigated. After applying a long-term correction based on the site wind rose, the reduction in wake losses increases to 9.3 %. As a function of wind speed, we find large energy improvements near cut-in wind speed, where wake steering can prevent the downstream wind turbine from shutting down. Yet for wind speeds between 6–8 m/s, we observe little change in performance with wake steering. However, wake steering was found to improve energy production significantly for below-rated wind speeds from 8–12 m/s. By measuring the relationship between yaw misalignment and power production using a nacelle lidar, we attribute much of the improvement in wake-steering performance at higher wind speeds to a significant reduction in the power loss of the upstream turbine as wind speed increases. Additionally, we find higher wind direction variability at lower wind speeds, which contributes to poor performance in the 6–8 m/s wind speed bin because of slow yaw controller dynamics. Further, we compare the measured performance of wake steering to predictions using the FLORIS (FLOw Redirection and Induction in Steady State) wind farm control tool coupled with a wind direction variability model. Although the achieved yaw offsets at the upstream wind turbine fall short of the intended yaw offsets, we find that they are predicted well by the wind direction variability model. When incorporating the expected yaw offsets, estimates of the energy improvement from wake steering using FLORIS closely match the experimental results.

Electromagnetic Scattering Model for Far Wakes of Ship with Wind Waves on Sea Surface

A comprehensive electromagnetic scattering model for ship wakes on the sea surface is proposed to study the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery for ship wakes. Our model considers a coupling of various wave systems, including Kelvin wake, turbulent wake, and the ocean ambient waves induced by the local wind. The fluid–structure coupling between the ship and the water surface is considered using the Reynolds–averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equation, and the wave–current effect between the ship wake and wind waves is considered using the wave modulation model. The scattering model can better describe the interaction of the ship wakes on sea surface and illustrates well the features of the ship wakes with local wind waves in SAR images.

RANS-based design of experimental flow model for investigation of complex curved turbulent wakes subjected to adverse pressure gradient

Results are presented of a series of RANS computations aimed at creating a new experimental flow model of a curved turbulent wake evolving under adverse pressure gradient. In the course of the computations, key geometric parameters of the model (the angle of attack of a flat plate generating the wake and the shape and the angles of attack of liner foils creating the pressure gradient) were varied in a wide range. The purpose was to find the parameters ensuring desirable features of the flow, namely, a considerable wake curvature and its strong deceleration leading to formation of a large stagnation or even a reversal flow region, on the one hand, and no flow separation either from the flat plate or from the surfaces of the liner foils, on the other hand. As a result, the design satisfying all these demands has been found. This design will be implemented and studied in the framework of recently launched joint German-Russian project “Complex Wake Flows” which presents a continuation of an earlier similar project devoted to symmetric wakes.