On the modelling of subgrid-scale enstrophy

transfer in turbulent channel flows

G. Hauët, C. B. da Silva, and J. C. F. Pereira

Instituto Superior Técnico, Pav. Mecânica I, 1o andar/LASEF, Av. Rovisco Pais,

1049-001, Lisboa, Portugal

An important issue in LES concerns the role played by the subgrid-scale (SGS)
models on the quasi streamwise vortices near the wall. In order to be able to anal-
yse this we extend the analysis of da Silva and Pereira [1] into a turbulent channel
∂2 τ
kp
flow with Reτ = 180. We start by analysing the SGS enstrophy dissipation: ∂xj ∂x p
,
that describes the effect of the SGS stresses τij on the evolution of the resolved
enstrophy field. From about y + ≈ 30 until the centre of the channel the SGS en-
strophy dissipation exhibits a small negative value (enstrophy forward scatter), as
occurs in isotropic turbulence or in turbulent plane jets[1], but as the distance from
the wall decreases the SGS enstrophy dissipation increases (in modulus) attaining
a minimum at about y + = 14. In the viscous sublayer the SGS enstrophy dissipa-
tion provides a mean positive value, implying a mean backward enstrophy transfer.
In this region the Smagorinsky model seems to perform well, unlike the dynamic
Smagorinsky model. It was found that at the centre of the channel the JPDFs are
quite similar to the ones obtained by da Silva and Pereira [1] e.g. all eddy-viscosity
models considered are able to provide some (though small) enstrophy backscatter,
and the correlation coefficient between the ”real” (filtered DNS) and modelled SGS
enstrophy dissipation is about 50% - very close to the values obtained in reference
[1]. Surprisingly, at the buffer layer (about y + = 14) in the present channel flow, the
”real” and modelled SGS enstrophy transfer displays very good results both for the
forward and backward ”modes” for the Smagorinsky model. It was found that this
has to do with a link between the SGS enstrophy dissipation and the regions of high
speed streaks. Ongoing work is aimed at analysing the impact of these mechanisms
for SGS modelling, as well as in analysing the performance of several SGS models
in reproducing the quasi-streamwise vortices from the buffer layer. More results can
be found in Hauet et al. [2].

References
1. Carlos B. da Silva and José C. F. Pereira. The effect of subgrid-scale models on
the vortices computed from large-eddy simulations. Phys. Fluids, 2004.
2. Gwenaël Hauët, Carlos B. da Silva, and José C. F. Pereira. The effect of subgrid-
scale models on the near wall vortices: a-priori tests. (submitted to Phys. Fluids),
2007.