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Observation of vortex packets in direct numerical simulation of fully turbulent channel flow

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Abstract

A number of experimental studies have inferred the existence of packets of inclined, hairpinlike vortices in wall turbulence on the basis of observations made in two-dimensional x−y planes using visualization and particle image velocimetry (PIV). However, there are very few observations of hairpins in existing three-dimensional studies made using direct numerical simulation (DNS), and no such study claims to have revealed packets. We demonstrate, for the first time, the existence of hairpin vortex packets in DNS of turbulent flow. The vortex packet structure found in the present study at low Reynolds number,Re t=300, is consistent with and substantiates the observations and the results from twodimensional PIV measurements at higher Reynolds numbers in channel, pipe and boundary layer flows. Thus, the evidence supports the view that vortex packets are a universal feature of wall turbulence, independent of effects due to boundary layer trips or critical conditions in the aforementioned numerical studies. Visualization of the DNS velocity field and vortices also shows the close association of hairpin packets with long low-momentum streaks and the regions of high Reynolds shear stress.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Flow, Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 61801, Urbana, Illinois, USA

    Adrian R. J. & Liu Z. C.

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  1. Adrian R. J.
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  2. Liu Z. C.
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Additional information

Ronald J. Adrian: He received his B.M.E. degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1967 from the University of Minnesota, his M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1969 from the University of Minnesota, and his Ph.D. degree in Physics in 1972 from the University of Cambridge. He joined the University of Illinois in 1972 where he became a full Professor in 1981. He now holds the Leonard C. and Mary Lou Hoeft Chair in Engineering and is Director of the Laboratory on Turbulence and Complex Flows in the Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. His research interests are turbulence, wall turbulence, thermal convection, vortex structures, laser instrumentation and experimental fluid mechanics.

Zi-Chao Liu: He was Associate Professor at Beijing Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics from 1979-1987 and at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1987. He developed laser and optical techniques in experimental fluid mechanics during visits at Princeton University, Stanford University and the University of Michigan from 1979-1982 and Essen University in Germany from 1987-1988. He was Visiting Professor and Senior Research Engineer at the University of Illinois from 1988-2000, conducting research on wall turbulence. His research interests are turbulence, direct numerical simulations of wall turbulence and vortex structures, laser techniques in fluid mechanics.

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Adrian, R.J., Liu, Z.C. Observation of vortex packets in direct numerical simulation of fully turbulent channel flow. J Vis 5, 9–19 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03182598

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03182598

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