Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Direct numerical simulation of turbulent flow over backward-facing at high Reynolds numbers

  • Published:
Science China Technological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Direct numerical simulation (DNS) was performed for the first time to study the flow over a backward-facing step at a high Reynolds number on a coarse grid. The flow over backward-facing step is the typical turbulent flow controlled by large eddy, in which the effect of small eddy could be negligible as an approximation. The grid dimension could easily satisfy the resolution requirement to describe the characteristics of a large eddy flow. Therefore, direct numerical simulation of N-S equations to obtain the turbulent flow field on the coarse grid could be realized. Numerical simulation of a two-dimensional flow over a backward-facing step at a Reynolds number Re=44000 was conducted using Euler-Lagrange finite element scheme based on the efficient operator-splitting method (OSFEM). The flow field was descretized by triangle meshes with 16669 nodes. The overall computational time only took 150 min on a PC. Both the characteristics of time-averaged and instantaneous turbulent flow were simultaneously obtained. The analysis showed that the calculated results were in good agreement with the test data. Hence, the DNS approach could become the reality to solve the complex turbulent flow with high Reynolds numbers in practical engineering.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Orszag S A, Patterson G S. Numerical simulation of three-dimensional homogeneous isotropic turbulence. Phys Rev Lett, 1972, 28: 76–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Rogallo R S. Numerical experiments inhomogeneous turbulence. NASA TM-81315, 1981

  3. Rogallo R S, Moin P. Numerical simulation of turbulent flows. Annu Rev Fluid Mech, 1984, 16: 99–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Moser R D, Moin P. The effects of curvature in wall-bounded turbulent flows. J Fluid Mech, 1987, 175: 479–510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Spalart P R. Numerical study of sink-flow boundary layers. J Fluid Mech, 1986, 172: 307–28

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. Spalart P R. Direct numerical simulation of a turbulent boundary layer up to R θ=1410. J Fluid Mech, 1988, 187: 61–98

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. Hung L, Parviz M, John K. Direct numerical simulation of turbulent flow over a backward-facing step. J Fluid Mech, 1997, 330: 349–374

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. Sengupta K, Mashayek F, Jacobs B. Direct numerical simulation of turbulent flows using spectral methods. 46th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, 7–10 January 2008, Reno, Nevada

  9. Moin P, Mahesh K. A tool in turbulence research. Annu Rev Fluid Mech, 1998, 30: 539–78

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  10. Wengle H, Huppertz A, Bärwolffc G, et al. The manipulated transitional backward-facing step flow: An experimental and direct numerical simulation investigation. Eur J Mech B-Fluids, 2001, 20: 25–46

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  11. Lele S K. Compact finite-difference schemes with spectral-like resolution. J Comp Phys, 1992, 103:16–42

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. Ting T S, Prakash M, Cleary P W, et al. Simulation of high Reynolds number flow over a backward facing step using SPH. ANZIAM, 2006, 47(FNA): 292–309

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ding D Y, Wu S Q. Numerical application of κ-ε turbulence model to flow over a backward-facing step. Sci China Tech Sci, 2010, 53(10): 2817–2825

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Zijlema M, Segal A, Wesseling P. Finite Volume Computation of 2D Incompressible Turbulent Flows in General Coordinates on Staggered Grids. Report 1994–24, Delft University of Technology

  15. Kim J, Kline S J, Johnston J P. Investigation of a reattaching turbulent shear layer: Flow a backward-facing step. ASME J Fluids Eng, 1980, 102: 302–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Ding D Y, Zhen P X. Numerical Simulation of Cooling Water for Yangzhou Power Plant. Technical Report, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Report No. H8837. 1988

  17. Ding D Y, Wu S Q. Study on three-dimensional numerical model for shallow water flow (in Chinese). Eng Sci, 2010, 2(2): 33–40

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, 210029, China

    DaoYang Ding & ShiQiang Wu

Authors
  1. DaoYang Ding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. ShiQiang Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to ShiQiang Wu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ding, D., Wu, S. Direct numerical simulation of turbulent flow over backward-facing at high Reynolds numbers. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 55, 3213–3222 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-012-5006-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-012-5006-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation