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Effect of a small axisymmetric contraction on grid turbulence

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Abstract

Measurements downstream of a grid followed by a contraction with an area ratio of 1.36 have been made with a one-component vorticity probe. The velocity data indicate that there is indeed an improvement in isotropy of the large scales when such a contraction is used. In particular, the spectrum of u loses a significant amount of low frequency energy and its peak is shifted towards that of v. Although the v spectrum is less affected than the u spectrum, the relative magnitudes of the u and v spectra satisfy isotropy more closely with than without the contraction. In particular, isotropy is most closely approximated when the contraction is used in combination with a grid designed to minimise vortex shedding. The lateral vorticity spectrum is essentially unaffected, irrespective of the grid that is used or the magnitude of the wavenumber.

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Acknowledgments

The support of the Australian Research Council is acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2308, Australia

    Robert A. Antonia & L. Djenidi

  2. Institute for Aerospace Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M3H5T6, Canada

    P. Lavoie

  3. Royal Military College of Canada, PO Box 17000, Station Forces, Kingston, ON, K7K7B4, Canada

    A. Benaissa

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  1. Robert A. Antonia
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  2. P. Lavoie
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  3. L. Djenidi
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  4. A. Benaissa
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Correspondence to Robert A. Antonia.

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Antonia, R.A., Lavoie, P., Djenidi, L. et al. Effect of a small axisymmetric contraction on grid turbulence. Exp Fluids 49, 3–10 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-009-0704-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-009-0704-8

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