Passive scalar cascade in the intermediate layer of turbulent channel flow for $Pr\leq 1$

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gallorini, Emanuele, Motoki, Shingo, Kawahara, Genta, Vassilicos, Christos
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866914371318317056
author Gallorini, Emanuele
Motoki, Shingo
Kawahara, Genta
Vassilicos, Christos
author_facet Gallorini, Emanuele
Motoki, Shingo
Kawahara, Genta
Vassilicos, Christos
contents Similarities and differences between Kolmogorov scale-by-scale equilibria/non-equilibria for velocity and scalar fields are investigated in the intermediate layer of a fully developed turbulent channel flow with a passive scalar/temperature field driven by a uniform heat source. The analysis is based on intermediate asymptotics and direct numerical simulations at different Prandtl numbers lower than unity. Similarly to what happens to the velocity fluctuations, for the fluctuating scalar field Kolmogorov scale-by-scale equilibrium is achieved asymptotically around a length scale $r_{min}$, which is located below the inertial range. The lengthscale $r_{min}$ and the ratio between the inter-scale transfer and dissipation rates at $r_{min}$ vary following power laws of the Prandtl number, with exponents determined by matched asymptotics based on the hypothesis of homogeneous two-point physics in non-homogeneous turbulence. The interscale transfer rates of turbulent kinetic energy and passive scalar variance are globally similar but show evident differences when their aligned/anti-aligned contributions are considered.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_21042
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Passive scalar cascade in the intermediate layer of turbulent channel flow for $Pr\leq 1$
Gallorini, Emanuele
Motoki, Shingo
Kawahara, Genta
Vassilicos, Christos
Fluid Dynamics
Similarities and differences between Kolmogorov scale-by-scale equilibria/non-equilibria for velocity and scalar fields are investigated in the intermediate layer of a fully developed turbulent channel flow with a passive scalar/temperature field driven by a uniform heat source. The analysis is based on intermediate asymptotics and direct numerical simulations at different Prandtl numbers lower than unity. Similarly to what happens to the velocity fluctuations, for the fluctuating scalar field Kolmogorov scale-by-scale equilibrium is achieved asymptotically around a length scale $r_{min}$, which is located below the inertial range. The lengthscale $r_{min}$ and the ratio between the inter-scale transfer and dissipation rates at $r_{min}$ vary following power laws of the Prandtl number, with exponents determined by matched asymptotics based on the hypothesis of homogeneous two-point physics in non-homogeneous turbulence. The interscale transfer rates of turbulent kinetic energy and passive scalar variance are globally similar but show evident differences when their aligned/anti-aligned contributions are considered.
title Passive scalar cascade in the intermediate layer of turbulent channel flow for $Pr\leq 1$
topic Fluid Dynamics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.21042