Numerical simulation of rotating channel flow based on a modified DES model

Abstract

A new type of nonlinear sub-grid scale (SGS) model is adopted based on the helicity analysis and is verified by predicting the internal flow in a rotating channel. A stress term that contains helicity constraint is introduced into the original SGS model to construct a nonlinear sub-grid model. This additional term representing the helicity constraint effect in the momentum equations is shown to give predictions that are in better agreement with the experimental data. In this paper, the Detached-Eddy Simulation (DES) and the nonlinear SGS model are used to further study the turbulence statistics of the rotating channel flow. Combining with the Reynolds stress transport equations and the turbulent kinetic energy transport equation, the change of turbulence statistics near the wall of the rotating channel is analyzed. The newly added term changes the turbulent viscosity near the wall, which changes the velocity gradient near the wall and further affects other turbulence statistics near the wall.