Turbulence in Two-Phase Flows with Macro-, Micro- and Nanoparticles: A Review

Abstract

Turbulent flows are nonstationary in nature. Since the turbulent fluctuations of most flow parameters satisfy a symmetric Gaussian distribution, the turbulent characteristics have the property of symmetry in the statistical meaning. A widespread simplest model of turbulent flows is the model of “symmetric” turbulence, namely, homogeneous isotropic turbulence (HIT). The presence of particles with non-uniform distribution of their concentration in the turbulent flow, even under HIT conditions, can lead to redistribution of different components of fluctuation velocities of the carrier gas, i.e., to the appearance of asymmetry. The subject of the review is turbulent flows of gas with solid particles. Particular attention is paid to the problem of the back influence of particles on carrier gas characteristics (first of all, on the turbulent kinetic energy). A review of the results of experimental and computational-theoretical studies of the effect of the presence of the dispersed phase in the form of particles on the parameters of the turbulent flow of the carrier gas phase has been carried out. The main physical mechanisms and dimensionless criteria determining the direction and magnitude of the impact of particles of different inertia on the carrier gas phase turbulence energy are described and analyzed. The peculiarities of the influence of particles on the turbulence energy of the gas for different classes of flows: homogeneous isotropic turbulence, homogeneous shear flow, and wall turbulence in a pipe (channel) have been considered. For the near-wall flow in the pipe, it is shown that the turbulizing effect of extremely low-inertia particles of sub-micrometer size (nanoparticles) is replaced by the laminarizing effect of low-inertia particles of micrometer size (microparticles), and then again it is replaced by turbulizing due to additional generation of turbulence in the wakes of large particles of millimeter size (macroparticles). The review is intended to some extent to fill in the currently existing gap associated with the absence of dimensionless criteria (or complexes of physical parameters) responsible for the direction (attenuation or enhancement) of turbulence modification, and the value of this change. Possible directions for further researches are given in the conclusion of the review.