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Large-Eddy Simulation of Thermally Stratified Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Flow Using a Minimum Dissipation Model

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Abstract

A generalized form of a recently developed minimum dissipation model for subfilter turbulent fluxes is proposed and implemented in the simulation of thermally stratified atmospheric boundary-layer flows. Compared with the original model, the generalized model includes the contribution of buoyant forces, in addition to shear, to the production or suppression of turbulence, with a number of desirable practical and theoretical properties. Specifically, the model has a low computational complexity, appropriately switches off in laminar and transitional flows, does not require any ad hoc shear and stability corrections, and is consistent with theoretical subfilter turbulent fluxes. The simulation results show remarkable agreement with well-established empirical correlations, theoretical predictions, and field observations in the atmosphere. In addition, the results show very little sensitivity to the grid resolution, demonstrating the robustness of the model in the simulation of the atmospheric boundary layer, even with relatively coarse resolutions.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by NASA (Grant No. NNX15AU93A). M. Abkar was also supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering, Aarhus University, Inge Lehmanns Gade 10, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Mahdi Abkar

  2. Center for Turbulence Research, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA

    Mahdi Abkar & Parviz Moin

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  1. Mahdi Abkar
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  2. Parviz Moin
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Correspondence to Mahdi Abkar.

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Abkar, M., Moin, P. Large-Eddy Simulation of Thermally Stratified Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Flow Using a Minimum Dissipation Model. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 165, 405–419 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-017-0288-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-017-0288-4

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